2022
Vivian Ostfeld ’22, whose passion for competitive running was ignited while being a part of EMS’s cross country team in seventh and eighth grade, is now nationally ranked among all girls in the class of 2026: sixth in the U.S. in the 600M and seventh in the U.S. in the indoor 800M. She also holds 12 track records at Riverdale Country School and, as a sophomore, was the co-captain of her spring track team. Guided by EMS athletic director and coach Andy Escala ’83, Vivian discovered how much she enjoyed racing and training with her friends. “EMS instilled in me the courage and curiosity to try new things,” Vivian says. “I joined the cross country team in seventh grade with a friend and wound up discovering my passion.” Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine (Photo credit: Jim Anness)
2021
Trevor Ostfeld ’21 returned to campus in April 2024 to address our middle school students in the final installment of Morrow House’s Career Talks — a part of EMS’ Leadership Lab — an opportunity for our eighth-grade students to benefit from the expertise of professionals in our community and discuss different career paths. Trevor, our youngest presenter in the series, who attends Riverdale Country School, co-authored “Finding Messi: The Miracle Cat From Kyiv” with Iryna Chernyak, whose cat is the subject of this children’s book set against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. Trevor’s inspiration for the book stemmed from a humanitarian mission he embarked on with his synagogue during the onset of the war. While abroad, he met Iryna and her mother, who had to abruptly leave everything behind in Kyiv, including their beloved pet, when Ukraine was attacked. Trevor reconnected with Iryna after his mission concluded to adapt her dramatic story of reuniting with her cat into a book, now an Amazon bestseller. All proceeds are being donated to charities that aid victims of the war. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
Jordan Harris ’21 took a first-place award for a personal research study during his sophomore year at The Masters School and spent the summer of 2023 at Georgetown to study emergency medicine. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2020
Congratulations to Marie Dillard ‘20, a student at the University of Pennsylvania, for being featured on the cover and inside the September 2023 issue of “Delaware Today.” Readers learned more about Marie’s non-profit organization Persistent Endeavors, which supports black and brown youth in their artistic pursuits. Marie also attended the Prudential Emerging Visionaries Summit that honors 25 exceptional young leaders (Marie being one of them!) for their work addressing the challenges of a changing world. “I can attribute so much of my success in high school and beyond to my strong EMS foundation,” says Marie. “Seeing myself as a scholar, athlete, and artist started with care and attention from my EMS teachers and coaches. They recognized and cultivated my natural talents and strengths while helping me further develop areas I found more challenging. Because of EMS, I am a committed life-long learner.” Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2017
Natalie Abu-Rustum ’17 graduated from Drew University in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. In August 2024, she started a graduate program in data science and began work as an ABA therapist. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2013
Christian Maloney ’13 graduated cum laude from Williams College, receiving the William W. Kleinhandler Commencement Prize for Excellence in Music. A varsity cross-country runner and violinist, Maloney double-majored in political science and the classics. While at Williams, he attended the Reagan-Thatcher Lecture Series at Oxford and Duke University’s Intercollegiate Classical Studies Program in Rome. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in religious studies at Harvard University and performs in the Harvard College Opera Orchestra. “It was at EMS where I learned to love and appreciate music and the hard work and dedication it takes to become an accomplished athlete and scholar,” he says. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2011
Dr. Egan Sachs-Hecht ’11 graduated from dental school at the University of New England College of Dental Medicine in 2024. Her next step is to specialize in pediatric dentistry at the University of Buffalo. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2008
Since graduating, David Aghassi ’08 has lived in three different states and navigated multiple levels of education and career progression. Most recently, he took a software engineering job at Robinhood in 2020, where he helped scale their developer tools as the company went public. On a personal level, he successfully started a small business to grow his local swing dance community and has been placed in national competitions at the amateur level. Most excitingly, he bought his first house last year in Tucson, Arizona. “All of this was possible because of the foundations and skills I learned at EMS,” he says. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
2002
Alexa Modugno ’02 released her first children’s book, “The Magical Makings of Molly the Musician.” It’s the story of a little girl who dreams of being a star violinist. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1995
Over the past two decades, Matthew Marco ’95 has become a formidable presence in the realm of luxury residential and commercial real estate, particularly in The Bahamas. As a dedicated globetrotter and a seasoned property owner himself, Matthew splits his time between Miami, Paradise Island, The Bahamas, and Geneva, Switzerland. Beyond his achievements in the real estate world, Matthew finds solace in the company of loved ones during his leisure moments. His cherished Old Fort Bay Club in Nassau, The Bahamas, has become a haven where he reconnects with friends and family, reflecting the values of community and connection that have guided his journey. “My journey is a testament to the transformative power of expertise, dedication, and a genuine passion for forging connections, all of which I attribute to my years at The Elisabeth Morrow School,” he says. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1994
Nicole Berrie ’94 had an interest in healing and wellness that led her to create bonberi.com in 2013, which features the wellness regimens of designers, models, chefs, influencers, and her original plant-based recipes. In September 2018, she opened Bonberi Mart, a plant-based shop in New York’s West Village featuring grab-and-go vegan dishes, an array of juices and smoothies, and a curated selection of holistic, non-toxic retail goods. In 2022, she published her cookbook, “Body Harmony,” which is a curated collection of her favorite healthy recipes and offers a look into her wellness journey. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1988
Beth Thomas Cohen ’88, P: ’21, ’24 began her career as an editorial assistant at “CosmoGIRL!” and shortly thereafter moved over to “O, The Oprah Magazine,” where she coordinated fashion shoots and monthly covers. Beth was the senior account director at Lividini & Co. and previously held the position of public relations director at Lambertson Truex. In 2015, Beth wrote, “Drop The Act, It’s Exhausting!” Currently, she handles public relations and business strategy at Juma Fit, a Tenafly boutique fitness studio, while consulting on various projects with several other companies. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1986
Jon Mann ’86 is the co-founder of Totem Design. Jon crafts bold visions and design systems that make the impossible possible. He has worked on projects for tech giants like Microsoft, Samsung, Sonos, Magic Leap, and others, and has led teams in human-centered innovation for T-Mobile and Casio. With a master’s degree in product design from Stanford University, he combines design thinking with a healthy dose of innovation. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
Dr. Anil Ranawat ’86, P: ’22, ’24, ’30, is a leading educator on hip and knee arthroscopy. He serves on numerous orthopedic boards, including the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM) and the Eastern Orthopedic Association (EOA). He is also an assistant team physician for the New York Mets and an assistant orthopedist for the New York Rangers. Dr. Ranawat has received many awards, including the T. Campbell Thompson Award for Excellence in Orthopedic Surgery, the Jean C. McDaniel Resident Teaching Award at the Hospital for Special Surgery, and the AAOS Washington Health Policy Fellowship. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1973
Ken Chiang ’73, managing partner, CIO, and founder of Redwood Peak, spoke to our Morrow House students in December 2023 about his transformational experience at EMS, his career, his family, and his hobbies. He was also on our campus with former classmates to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his graduation from EMS. “We’re always going to have a difference of opinion sometimes,” he told our students. “Try to let it go because it’s not worth losing a lifelong friendship. It’s really magical when you are friends with people that you’ve known for 50 years.” Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
Timothy Fitzpatrick ’73 and his wife, Diana Fitzpatrick, volunteer at San Quentin State Prison and coach a running team called the 1,000 Mile Club. The club is featured in the documentary “26.2 to Life,” streaming on ESPN and Hulu. At their annual marathon in November 2023, a man who recognized Tim from the documentary approached him to say hello. That man, Dr. Jeff Grant ’73, has worked as a doctor at San Quentin for years. “We had a great exchange and have been in touch ever since,” says Timothy. Jeff’s mother, Jenifer Grant, was a teacher at EMS and taught Tim and Jeff, who were buddies and classmates back in the day. “Jeff had seen the movie and recognized me, thus the visit to the yard to say hello.” Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1970
Peter Shapiro ’70 and his partner, Aline, were visiting friends Neil and Kristin Urie in Vermont when they realized that Kristin’s mother, who they were chatting with, was Miss St. Vincent, Peter’s fourth- and fifth-grade teacher at EMS. “It was an electrifying moment as I remembered Miss St. Vincent as an inspiring, engaging, supportive elementary school teacher who made a real difference in my life,” says Peter. He remembers one particular highlight of his fifth-grade year was when Miss St. Vincent coordinated a class production of the play “1776,” after seeing it on Broadway. “She told us excitedly how she was furiously writing the lyrics on scrap paper, in the dark, inking up her dress with pen, while she watched the play,” he recalls. “Her excitement was contagious, and the production of the play was a highlight of my EMS experience.” Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1964
Bill Haas ’64 is “still alive!” he says, teaching part-time while studying wildlife full-time. He vividly remembers his days at EMS, including the liftoff of the Mercury-Atlas 6 mission on Feb. 20, 1962, the day President Kennedy was assassinated, and math class with Mrs. Milliron. Bill spent four years as a Forest Service Wildland firefighter and 10 years teaching, with four years spent in Belize, as a Peace Corps volunteer assigned to develop biology and chemistry curricula as part of the country’s first outdoor education program as it gained independence from Great Britain. For more than 30 years, he’s been devoted to diverse wildlife studies and is now living on California’s Central Coast, married to a veterinarian. He is an avid cyclist and kayaker and devotes his time to rescuing dogs and the study of ultrasonic communications between bats and bat conservation. His non-profit “Central Coast Bat Survey” was part of the team that worked with the California legislature to name its newest state symbol, the pallid bat, California’s state bat. Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1957
Betsy Muhlfeld Ingram ’57 and Anne Moloney Black ’57, friends since Miss Johnson’s class, met for lunch in Boston in October 2023. They had a wonderful time catching up! Published in the 2024 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
1951
Peter Coyote ’51 is an Emmy Award-winning actor and bestselling author. Over the course of his legendary career, Peter has worked with impactful filmmakers, such as Steven Spielberg (you may recognize Coyote as government agent Keys from “E.T.”), and co-hosted the Oscars with Billy Crystal in 2000. From his early teens, Coyote has been engaged in social and political causes, which was an inspiration for one of his many books, “Sleeping Where I Fall,” a memoir that appeared on three bestseller lists. In addition to his acting career, Coyote has been a dedicated Zen student for more than 40 years and was ordained a Buddhist priest in 2011. Published in the 2023 issue of Apple Tree Magazine
