Alumni Class Notes
Letter From the Tartan Alumni Association
Dear Fellow Alumni,
As St. Margaret’s embarks on its next decade, the events of 2020 have given our entire community an opportunity to reflect. The COVID-19 pandemic, prolonged social distancing, and our country’s reckoning with systemic racism are challenging the strength of our communities, and they are also presenting Tartans with greater opportunities to unite. Growth and change have always been encoded in the St. Margaret’s DNA. The Tartan Alumni Association (“TAA”) and school are more committed than ever in their partnership to ensure a safe, healthy, and thriving environment for all students. After all, today’s students are tomorrow’s alumni.
We also know that our alumni body is reflecting on their time at St. Margaret’s. This summer marked the beginning of greater alumni involvement in the school’s ongoing work to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. This work is neither easy nor straightforward, and the TAA has reaffirmed its commitment to these goals for the years to come. To this end, we hosted both an informational webinar and an interactive town hall for alumni to share their views on systemic racism, reconnect with St. Margaret’s, and learn how they can engage with the school to ensure all their voices are heard. We have a responsibility to advocate for alumni no matter the issue, and we cannot think of a more important issue than this. The TAA will continue working with Will Moseley, the Board of Trustees, and the professional community to ensure alumni not only play a role in DEI development on campus, but that they also have the resources and opportunities to strengthen our Tartan bonds, no matter where we live in the world.
The challenges ahead of us with COVID-19 only present greater opportunities for alumni involvement. Social distancing and sheltering in place have increased a sense of personal isolation, especially for our younger alumni living in a new city or transitioning into their first job. Our call to all Tartan alumni is to take action; there are those among us who may be suffering or in need. Lean on one another if you can, and make a point of connecting with fellow alumni, their parents, and other community members. The TAA is charged with engaging others. What better way to fulfill our mission? These are unprecedented times, but Tartans are unprecedented individuals. The efforts we make today will yield even greater dividends in the future.
The last 40 years have seen the evolution of Tartan alumni from a small, tight-knit group to an influential network of accomplished and remarkable people. As alumni, we understand the value of positive action — not in spite of the challenges we face today, but because of them. The Tartan Alumni Legacy Endowment (TALE) continues to grow in both participation and dollar amount, ensuring Tartans have the opportunity to grow their personal legacies and share their St. Margaret’s experience with their own children. Once again, ask yourself, “What can I do for my school?” The answer is clear — and there is no better time to jump in than now.
Tartans Forever,
Mattingly Messina ‘13
President, Tartan Alumni Association
Mark Risner ‘86
Member, Board of Trustees
1987
After 20 years in secondary school admission, Jennifer Ramsey Risner has moved into higher ed, returning to her college alma mater as Director of Admission for the University of California, Irvine Paul Merage School of Business.
2001
Jasmine Tollette Kingsley and her husband, Christopher, welcomed their second child, Aurora Simone Kingsley, on June 4, 2019. Aurora shares big brother Alexander’s joie de vivre and sense of humor. They currently live in Lincoln, Nebraska. Jasmine is the vice president of legal and people, general counsel at Hudl, a sports video and technology company headquartered in Lincoln.
2002
Congratulations to Lieutenant Commander Michael Boyle, who was awarded the Naval Flight Officer of the Year at the Tailhook Association Convention in September 2019.
Meghan Moore is an attorney with the US Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. She welcomed Finn Steward Moore on Sept. 9, 2020.
Colter Fleming married Tori Parsel on December 20, 2020 in Oceanside. Colter is a Strategic Account Manager for Expedia Group.
2004
Tartan sweethearts Justin Phan and Alexa Gozali were married in an intimate family wedding on Nov. 11, 2019, in Cabo San Lucas. Paul Janczyk and Adnan Anabtawi joined in the festivities. Alexa is in her final year of medical residency serving as the chief resident while chronicling lots of healthy foodie happenings on Instagram @dr.alexagozali.do, and Justin continues with his entrepreneurial passion, leading his company, Personalized, Inc.
2005
15TH REUNION: Stay tuned for reunion news! Buck Mower is happy and high-energy right now following his marriage to Ishani Colombage on August 2, 2019. As Buck shared, “I have very much started a new chapter in my life’s story with my marriage. I have also embarked on a journey in business, developing Flewinzy, a company founded on a bedrock of knowledge, and core to its ethos are the pillars of gratitude, attention and consent. Check it out at Flewinzy.com!"
2008
Congrats to Hutch Parker and his wife, Grace, who welcomed their daughter, Hannah Mae, on Nov. 26, 2019. The family currently lives back East. Hannah is the grandchild of beloved faculty member Mr. Rocky Parker and his wife, Kate (pictured).
2009
Kira Cahill has been full-steam ahead with the launch of her eco-friendly subscription box — BeBoldBox. Her company offers a solution for busy individuals to incorporate a sustainable lifestyle into their everyday habits. Check it out at beboldbox.com!
2012
Madison Gottlieb and Joseph Cokingtin were married in San Juan Capistrano on Sept. 7, 2019! St. Margaret’s alumni in attendance included Lindsay Eres ’00, Katie Fragapane, Clementine Marcus, Natalie Barbaresi, Jenna Zusman, Hannah Hess '11 (and lots of SMES families, too). Madison and Joe live in Corona Del Mar, where she owns a marketing company.
Lauren Gottlieb is working as a Tax Manager for Grant Thornton.
Sam Larsen serves as an UX Researcher for Wayfair as she completes her MS in Human Factors in Information Design.
2018
Pre-med major at The University of Chicago by day, and handcrafter by night, Clayton Chalmers is carving a space in the art world. Clayton’s exquisite eye and dedication to delivering an authentic interpretation of his art leads to one-of-a-kind masterpieces. At the recent Ford vs. Ferrari art auction, Clayton’s original work went for the highest bid at the live auction. He’s taking full advantage of the amazing art studios at The University of Chicago, working out of the Polsky Center for Graduate Students studio.
#TartanTidbits with Sarah Ko '18
Sarah Ko ’18 is carving her creative space at the University of Southern California as a sophomore communications major, USC Annenberg Media’s Sports Editor, Daily Trojan’s Sports Photo Editor and Trojans360’s Video Creator. Her love of sports developed during her St. Margaret’s days and early morning training as a figure skater. Today she’s fully immersed in sports journalism, emphasizing photography and video (her love of basketball remains strong!). Check out all Sarah has to share including a window into the world of Nike.
How has USC been this year?
USC has been an absolute whirlwind in the most unexpected way. I switched out of the School of Cinematic Arts last semester and switched to communications. During my first semester at USC, I volunteered as a reporter for their sports media outlet on a whim. Having no experience at all in sports media, they sent me to cover several games. Through those experiences, I realized that engaging in sports media didn’t feel like work to me — it felt natural.
Tell us more about your work with Nike?
This past summer, I had the opportunity to work at the Nike Drew League as a sports photographer for the USC media outlet, Trojans360. Since then, I’ve been able to partner with Nike through their various launch and athlete empowerment events, including the Nike Joyride running shoe event and the Nike Legacy Summit.
Why is this an area that you’re passionate about? Did anyone at St. Margaret’s spark that interest for you?
Besides being a former figure skater and basketball fan, I’ve always been interested in the world of film. When I was a sophomore, Mr. Wheeler started the first student film festival where students were in charge of all aspects of creating a short film, start to finish. Through that experience, I found a new fascination with film and its ability to tell compelling stories in a globally entertaining manner. It wasn’t until my senior year when I started dabbling in photography through AP studio art: photography.
Now that you’ve landed your summer internship, do you have any tips to fellow Tartans looking for that a perfect for them internship?
This January, I started interning at the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks for marketing and photography. So far, It’s been an incredible experience learning from and working with a professional organization. I have the opportunity to share my ideas with the team, practice digital content ideation and engage with some of the most acclaimed female athletes. The most important thing to keep in mind is to find something you are passionate about and not to be afraid of pursuing that passion. Opportunities don’t find you; you have to find them.
What’s next on the horizon?
As the multimedia editor for USC Annenberg Media Sports, I’m hoping to further implement different mediums that collectively celebrate the story behind the athlete — the hard work, intensity, mindset and love of the game. I see sports journalism as an opportunity to share the culmination of culture, lifestyle, fashion, fandom, competition and just pure fun.
When you think back on your time at St. Margaret’s is there anything you would have done differently?
I hate to say this because it is so cliché, but things are cliché because they are universally true: I wouldn’t change anything. I believe that things happen for a reason — the good and the bad. If you gave me the chance to go back in time and only experience the good moments, I wouldn’t. Of course, living a happy life is essential (and well, certainly more preferable), but without the bad times, you wouldn’t know what’s good.
2019
Julia Martin is at Dartmouth College with plans to study computer science or engineering. She walked on to the rowing team and enjoys competing at the varsity level. Chris Chan is keeping busy with intramural sports and Naval ROTC at Villanova University and is training to commission as an officer in the United States Navy or Marine Corps upon graduation.