The Bush School

from thehead of school

Dear Bush Community,

As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, I find myself reflecting with deep gratitude on my first year as Head of School. Like many people beginning a new role, I arrived both excited and uncertain, wondering whether the school and I had made the right decision to begin this next chapter together in The Bush School’s second century. I also quickly realized that this would be no ordinary year. Alongside the everyday work of leading a dynamic K–12 school, we were launching a new Strategic Planning process, beginning an accreditation cycle, and breaking ground on a major campus construction project, all at the same time. 

Somewhere along the way, we jokingly began referring to this as the “everything everywhere all at once” year. But underneath the humor was something real: This year would require courage, optimism, resilience, and trust from all of us. Thus, “courage” became our theme for the year.
 
Over and over again this year, I have been inspired by the courage demonstrated by students, faculty, and staff across our community. From the Sally Ryan Stage at Benaroya Theater to the courts of Schuchart Gym to classrooms across the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools to experiential programs and regional competitions throughout the state, I have watched members of this community take risks, make themselves vulnerable, and work together toward goals that may once have seemed out of reach. In doing so, they have brought joy, creativity, energy, and hope to our school during a time when the broader world often feels uncertain and divided.

I have witnessed quieter acts of courage as well: welcoming a new student, speaking honestly even when it is difficult, encouraging kindness and compassion, sharing an uncertain idea in class, or persevering through difficult work. I have watched students, faculty, and staff identify challenges in the world around them and choose to take meaningful action in response. These moments remind me of Mary Anne Radmacher’s words: “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’”

This same spirit of courage has shaped the school itself this year. In breaking ground on our new Center Campus, Middle School, and Commons building, the Bush community has demonstrated both a commitment to the future and a belief in what is possible for generations of learners to come. Watching students, faculty, and staff embrace the realities of learning alongside a major construction project with resilience, flexibility, and humor has only strengthened my belief in this community’s spirit. The spaces taking shape now will support and inspire K–12 students for decades to come, and in fall 2027 we look forward to welcoming the community into the new Center Campus—a space that will truly serve as the “heart of Bush.”

That same optimism and forward-looking spirit has also guided the development of the school’s new Strategic Plan. Through listening sessions, conversations, and collaborative work across the community, we have begun shaping a vision for Bush’s future that both honors the school’s enduring strengths and challenges us to imagine what more is possible. I look forward to sharing more about the new Strategic Plan this coming fall.

This year has also required the courage to trust: trust in one another, in our mission, and in our shared commitment to helping young people grow into thoughtful, compassionate, courageous human beings. Building trust takes time, and I remain deeply grateful for the openness, partnership, and care this community has extended to me throughout my first year at Bush.

In return, I have worked to lead with transparency, communication, presence, and clarity around the decisions we make and the direction we are heading as a school, while also listening with openness and care to the many thoughtful questions and perspectives shared by members of this community. While I do not expect full agreement in every moment, I hope people feel a shared sense of trust that decisions are being made thoughtfully, with the best interests of students and the broader school community at heart.

As I reflect on this first year, I feel profoundly grateful—for the trust this community has extended; for the many people who have offered support and partnership along the way; and for the opportunity to learn alongside such remarkable students, faculty, staff, families, and alumni. This year has affirmed for me that The Bush School is not only a place of deep learning and accomplishment, but also a community defined by courage, heart, and purpose.

When I arrived last fall, I carried the same questions and uncertainties that often accompany any new beginning. One year later, what I know with certainty is that this is a community willing to approach challenges with optimism, care, and resilience. I feel deeply hopeful about the future we are building together and grateful to be part of this next chapter in Bush’s story. In many ways, this year reminded me that courage is not something extraordinary reserved for a few heroic moments, but something this community chooses to practice every day. 
Warmly,
Sarah Smith
Head of School

Click below for ...
Letter from The Board of Trustees, Karim Lessard
Letter from the Incoming Board of Trustees President, Quentin Streets
Editor's Note from Experience Editor, Sharon Hurt

FEATURES In Our Community

Alumni Profiles

THE COURAGE TO EXPRESS Matthew Nienow ’01

What began as a love for creative writing at The Bush School grew into an insatiable passion for storytelling, which fostered Matthew Nienow ’01’s writing career. 
“I credit the caring and passionate teachers at Bush who sparked a sense of curiosity about a variety of subjects, including multiple poetry classes,” Matthew shared. “Looking back, I can name a ton of classes that sparked passion and creativity, even outside of any fields I pursued later: U.S. history (reading Howard Zinn), field biology (labs in the arboretum versus in-class labs), photography, songwriting classes with Michael Gettel, Spanish classes from middle through high school (including an Eighth Grade trip to Mexico), most of the experiential weeks, activities, AMPS, AMP Weeks, and more. Teachers cared about their academic and experiential offerings; their passion was contagious.”

THE COURAGE TO ADVOCATE Jennie Pasquarella ’96

“I display my courage in the kinds of cases I’m willing to take, the arguments I’m willing to make, and that I fight for things that people often turn away from because it seems too hard or impossible,” said human rights attorney Jennie Pasquarella ’96.
As a student who attended The Bush School from Fifth to Twelfth Grade, Jennie became deeply involved in several service projects, where her desire for advocacy took root. After completing her senior project with an international humanitarian organization called CARE in Peru, she decided to dive deeper into human rights work.

THE COURAGE TO CREATEHannah Roze ’11

After attending The Bush School from Kindergarten to Twelfth Grade and graduating as a Lifer in 2011, Hannah (Thornton) Roze went into the business of making dreams come true for thousands of couples. Now, she’s an accomplished businesswoman, a mother, and the owner of Plannerd, the ultimate online wedding-planning platform. 
What sparked this passion to help others achieve their perfect day?

THE COURAGE TO CONNECTRumi Robinson ’18

With a combined total of over 700,000 followers across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, Rumi Robinson ’18 has earned the internet nickname “Media and Pop Culture Baddie” and has become one of the most popular Gen-Z content creators. What began as a fun hobby of creating skits and sharing advice on YouTube grew into a passionate career that would take him further than he ever imagined. Since graduating from The Bush School, he has produced thousands of insightful pop-culture and media-focused videos, most of which average over 100,000 views each. 
“I do video essay content primarily on YouTube, where I talk about everything from social issues to more interpersonal struggles that Gen Z is going through,” Rumi said. “What I really try to do with my content is to look at everything from a nuanced perspective and analyze things deeper than the surface level. Because that’s something that my education at Bush really instilled in me—looking at things from multiple perspectives, different viewpoints, and employing critical thinking.”

COMMUNITY EVENTS

InMemoriam

We honor and celebrate the lives of The Bush School community members whom we have lost this year. Please accept our sincerest apologies if someone is inadvertently missing from this list. Contact alumni@bush.edu if you would like to share a memory or a treasured story of your friend, classmate, teacher, or colleague.


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  • Mari Jensen Clack

    Mari Jensen Clack passed away on August 2, 2025. Mari was born on May 28, 1936, to Dr. Clyde Jensen, a pathologist, and Mary Bard Jensen, a writer. Mari enjoyed ferry rides to Aunt Betty MacDonald’s Vashon Island farm and wonderful lunches at Frederick & Nelson with her grandmother, Sydney Bard. 

    Mari’s life of learning started at Forest Ridge Convent and later at The Bush School.  At the University of Washington, she joined Kappa Alpha Theta and spent a summer in summer stock theater, preparing her for a lifetime onstage raising money for charitable causes and political candidates. 

    Mari and her husband funded scholarships for first-generation college students and for aspiring physicians from all backgrounds at the UW School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Health Partnership in Spokane. Mari helped jumpstart the volunteer aid program in Spokane Public Schools, bringing volunteers to assist in the classroom. 

    Mari did her best to remain active with public radio, Planned Parenthood, YWCA, and the Democratic party in her time off. Mari loved to host dinner parties, and Democratic candidates for local, state, and national office started to ask Mari to host their Spokane fundraisers. Eventually she hosted fundraisers for her childhood friend Booth Gardner’s successful gubernatorial campaign, and he later hired Mari as the permanent director for Eastern Washington. When a seat opened on the UW Board of Regents, Booth Gardner appointed Mari to a six-year term, where she served for twelve years after being reappointed by Governor Mike Lowry. 

    Mari served on the board and later became president of Planned Parenthood of Spokane, where she earned the admiration of skeptical friends and media critics. Many remember Mari for her work with women and children. She cofounded the Women Helping Women Fund in 1992, which has raised over $7 million for more than 600 grants and scholarships. Mari was a person of faith and a lifelong Episcopalian. From childhood until her death, Mari was a doer. In a speech to medical students Mari said, “and the final part of doing always involves recognizing the contribution of others. Make ‘A-R-T’ part of everything you undertake: appreciation, recognition, thanks. Let people around you know that what they do matters… because it does.” – adapted from the Seattle Times

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  • Heidi Fray ’75

    Heidi Fray ’75, sixty-eight, “a loving mother, a dedicated sister, and an extended family builder, passed away peacefully at home in West Seattle on Thursday, July 31, 2025. Heidi never met a stranger. She was a nurturer, a listener, a steady presence, and a safe haven. Whether raising her daughter, supporting friends, or helping family members, Heidi’s compassion knew no bounds. Her love and care touched everyone around her. Whole and human, she let the world in, even the hard parts, and in doing so, she taught us how to love. She dedicated her professional life to helping people—infants, children, seniors, and those in crisis—find growth, build community, and develop a sense of belonging. The many summers at Four Winds Camp on Orcas Island deeply influenced her life, helping her recognize the hidden beauty in the world and in people. Her creativity embraced all the crayons in the box, turning potential into magic. She loved colors, music, songs, flowers, foods from around the world, and throw pillows. Her passing leaves a void that will be impossible to fill, but her loving, caring, and creative spirit will be remembered and cherished by all who were fortunate enough to know her. She left us with smiles on our faces and songs in our hearts. Heidi is survived by her daughter, Avalee; Avalee’s father, Robert McCroskey; her sisters, Martha, Leslie, and Erin; her brother, John; along with her nieces and nephews, Hadden, Wells, Henry, Annabelle, and Lily.” – adapted from the Seattle Times

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  • Dorothy Allen “Poo” Penrose

    Dorothy Allen “Poo” Penrose ’57 died of Alzheimer’s on May 7, 2025, just a few weeks shy of her eighty-fifth birthday. Poo attended the Highlands School, skipping from third to fifth grade, and The Bush School, graduating in 1957 as she turned seventeen. She spent two years at Smith College, but the pull of her dad and the Pacific Northwest proved too strong, and she transferred to UW, graduating in 1961 with a degree in far East history—and two years of Russian, married, and six months pregnant. She said her oldest was built of Dick’s burgers, which she scarfed daily after classes and morning sickness. By age twenty-two she had two boys, which might explain why she claimed to have almost no memories from the ’60s. 

    An alumna of the Buzz Fiorini Ski School at Snoqualmie Summit, Poo was an excellent skier, enjoying trips with Nat and the kids to resorts around the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Utah, Colorado, and one epic adventure in the French Alps.

    Poo volunteered with the Junior Leagues of Seattle and Tacoma for twenty years. She served on the boards of trustees for Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, the Lakeside School, the Highlands School, the Seattle Children’s Home, and the Children’s Trust Foundation. A lover of Dixieland jazz, she enjoyed multiple trips with her dad and friends to the San Juan Island Dixieland Jazz Festival. She joined the Martha’s Moms Rowing Club as a coxswain in 1984, but after a few years and race wins at San Diego, Head of the Charles, and others, she decided to try rowing, which she kept at till age seventy. For decades, she and Jane Harder walked three or four miles daily on the steep hills of the Highlands. – adapted from the Seattle Times

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  • Patricia “Pat” Franklin

    Patricia “Pat” Franklin, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, friend to many, and former Trustee and Family Association President of The Bush School, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family following a hard-fought battle against leukemia.

    Pat married Jim Franklin and welcomed daughters Jenifer '82, Kate ’89, and Jay '90. In 1975, they sailed to London, where Jim opened a branch of First National Bank of Maryland, and had daughter Jodie '95 in 1976. After five remarkable years abroad, the family chose Seattle as their permanent home. They created a warm and welcoming home for children, international students, live-in friends, and The Bush School community, where all four children attended. 

    Pat poured herself into the Bush community, serving as a Board of Trustees member, Family Association President, and Development Committee Chair. She earned her master's degree from the Leadership Institute of Seattle and became a leader in multicultural education and diversity in independent schools, directing the Pacific Northwest’s Project for Diversity in Education and facilitating workshops across the country.

    In 1994 a blind date introduced her to Darrell Syferd. Married on July 25, 1998, on Vashon Island, they built a joyful life together, blending their families, traveling through Europe, and filling every home they shared with warmth, laughter, and never-ending conversation.

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  • Scott Hendrickson

    Scott Hendrickson passed away while visiting family in Park City, Utah, on October 23, 2025, at the age of eighty-seven. At Bush, Scott coached skiing and lacrosse and taught Middle School history from 1994 until 2007.

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  • Zekki Kemal ’17

    Zekki Kemal ’17 was beloved by many in the Bush and Rainier Scholars communities, of which he was a vital and valued member.
    Zekki's family, including his brother Abdul Mesfin ’14, who is also a Bush alum, shared that being part of the Bush community meant a lot to him during his time here. 

    After graduating from Bush in 2017, Zekki attended the University of Washington to pursue a degree in Information Technology.

    His passing is felt tremendously by his family, former classmates, friends, and teachers.

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  • Giovanni Rana ’22

    Giovanni Rana ’22 died unexpectedly on December 2, 2025. Giovanni's life was defined by light, laughter, and an abundance of love-both given and received. Joining the Class of 2022 in his Fifth Grade year, Giovanni is remembered especially for his kindness, empathy, and capacity to authentically connect with classmates and faculty alike. In addition to his fondness for basketball, he had a deep creative intelligence that he poured into composing and creating music. His spirit positively impacted so many in his too-brief time in this world. Giovanni is survived by his parents, Kulpreet and Kathy, his sister Bella, and many extended family members, all of whom adored Gio. Just as the beautiful music that he created will remain with us forever, so too will his spirit of friendship, love, and humor. 

    More information is available at http://www.online-tribute.com/Giovanni-Rana, where you may also add photos or remembrances. His family has chosen the following poem in his memory: 

    LATE FRAGMENT
    "And did you get what 
    You wanted from this life, even so?
    I did,
    And what did you want?
    To call myself beloved, to feel myself
    beloved on this earth."

    -Raymond Carver

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  • Jennifer Simonds ’85

    Jennifer Simonds ’85 was an energetic, forceful, and deeply kind person. A friend to so many, she lit up rooms. In her final hours, they read aloud from the psalms. They also read from her well-thumbed copy of the Comedy Bible (UCB Comedy Improv Manual). She died peacefully on June 19, 2025, surrounded by friends and family at the Gilchrist Hospice in Baltimore, Maryland. – adapted from Highwire Improv and Baltimore Musical Improv.

    • Ann

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  • Ann Pigott Wyckoff ’44

    Ann Pigott Wyckoff ’44 was an explorer, a community leader, and a philanthropist who loved all things family, nature, and adventure. She was born in Seattle on June 29, 1927, the second oldest of six children to Theiline McGee Pigott McCone and Paul Pigott. Ann attended Forest Ridge Convent of the Sacred Heart. She graduated from The Helen Bush School in 1944.
     
    After attending Pine Manor College at the age of seventeen, she graduated from Stanford University in 1948 with a degree in political science. She was proud of achieving her master’s degree from the University of Washington School of Social Work in 1950. She married T. Evans Wyckoff in 1951, and they went on to have many adventures with their seven children, along with other travels and great friendships.
     
    Ann was an explorer by nature. Early family trips included dogsledding and camping in igloos on arctic ice in the Northwest Territories (1973), a three-week crossing of the USSR from east to west during the Cold War (1975), and trekking in Nepal to the basecamp of Mt. Everest (1978). Among their many adventures together, Ann and Evans traveled to the South Pole by plane (1987) and the North Pole by an icebreaker (1997). She went flyfishing and camping in Mongolia (1996). As a lifelong practicing Catholic, a trip to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Francis (2014) was important to her. Family and friends joined her on these world travels.
     
    Ann’s generosity extended beyond her family. She firmly believed that vibrant communities are a function of strong arts, museums, education, parks, and social service institutions. She led by example in making them inclusive and accessible.

    Dozens of treasured community institutions throughout the region have benefitted from her generosity, whether it was from her volunteer work or her philanthropy. She established the T. Evans Wyckoff Lecture in Neurosciences at Virginia Mason in honor of her late husband’s battle with ALS. – adapted from the Seattle Times

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  • Idalice (Dee) Squire Dickinson ’45

    Idalice (Dee) Squire Dickinson ’45 passed away on Monday, March 8 at the age of 98. She was the widow of Dr. R. Hugh Dickinson, the daughter of Shirl and Jeanne Squire of Seattle, and the granddaughter of Alice and Francois Deny of France and of Ida and Watson C. Squire, one of the last Territorial Governors and first U.S. Senators of Washington state.

    She is survived by her beloved son, Jim Dickinson, and her beloved daughter, Jeanne Pastore; her grandchildren, AliciaRose and Gino Pastore and Lily Raznick; and her goddaughter, Maia Glass Quicksall.

    Dee graduated from The Bush School and the University of Washington. After teaching for a year, she served with Special Services in Germany for two years. On her return, she became head of the English department of The Bush School. She also was director of the Seattle Creative Activities Center, an after-school program in the arts. She joined the Junior League of Seattle, where she directed the Seattle Children’s Theatre and founded the Northwest Arts Project, which remains today the longest-lasting project of the League. In 1980 Dee founded (and for thirty-five years was CEO of) New Horizons for Learning, an international education network. On her retirement, she passed on the New Horizons website to Johns Hopkins University, where it continues today.

    Her books include Positive Trends in Learning: Meeting the Needs of a Rapidly Changing World and Creating the Future: Perspectives on Educational Change, and she was co-author with Linda Cambell and Bruce Campbell of Teaching and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences, now translated in seven languages.

    Dee was always an active member of the community and was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Maverick Award by the Washington Governor’s Leadership Institute, the Annual Leadership Award by the Citizens Education Center, the Dorothy Stimson Bullitt Award for Community Service, and the prestigious International Junior Leagues Mary Harriman Award for Leadership. She was a member of the Sunset Club, Seattle Tennis Club, and Colonial Dames.” – adapted from the Seattle Times

    Dee graduated from The Bush School in 1945, but her time with the school continued on for decades. She returned to Bush in 1949 as a member of the Helen Bush Alumnae Board, and in 1950 she was elected as President of the Alumnae Association. From 1953 through 1959, Dee taught Upper School English at Bush, and she returned again to teach in 1971, which is the year her children Jeanne ’76 and Jim ’79 became students. They remained at Bush until 1976.

    In 1982 Dee received the Distinguished Alumna Award, and from 1984 through 2007 she was a Bush Board of Trustees member. Dee’s dedication to and support of Bush continues after her passing, in the generosity of her contributions as an alum, a Board member, a teacher, and a member of the Helen Taylor Bush Society—a distinction conferred upon supporters who designate support for the school in their wills and living trusts.

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  • Midge Quote

    “Like many of my teachers at Bush, Dee was a lifelong role model and mentor. She was my close friend for over seventy years.
     
    Our connection began in 1955, when she directed three ‘one acts’ for our senior play. I remember my disappointment when she cast me as a little old lady in ‘Between the Teacups.’ And while she was new to me, she was a Bush alum and, earlier, had been head of the English department.
     
    That small beginning became a lifelong friendship. In the 1960s, Dee was director of the Creative Activities Center and she contacted me about offering classes in music and dance with young children. She later made a permanent contribution to the children of Seattle through the Junior League’s Northwest Arts Project, bringing local artists’ work to elementary school children.
     
    My husband’s work took us away from Seattle for several decades, but I was aware that Dee had formed New Horizons for Learning, and her vision had grown to include the importance of educating the whole brain, i.e., both right and left hemispheres, in the education of young children. I remember attending an international conference in the Washington, D.C., area, organized by New Horizons. Dee was now impacting educators worldwide.  Her book, Teaching and Learning Through Multiple Intelligences (2003), was printed in several languages, and she was invited to consult in other countries. A tragic illness in her family suddenly curtailed this future, but her commitment to education continued.  
     
    When we returned to Seattle, I quickly became part of New Horizons as board chair and worked closely with Dee in securing the future of her legacy. We were fortunate that Johns Hopkins University agreed to acquire her work.
     
    My last memories are of the interview I did with her in 2024 as part of the history I was writing for Bush’s Centennial. Dee spoke of the many extraordinary Bush teachers and Marjorie Livengood’s influence on her career path. She credited all her own work to her Bush education.” – Elsa “Midge” Bowman ’51, former Interim Head of School, Trustee, Upper School Dean, and teacher

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  • Jimmie Lewis

    Jimmie Lewis was the grandparent of a Bush alum and a beloved member of the kitchen staff at Bush from 1990 through 2004. She passed in December 2025. “We lost a huge impact of a person that worked at Bush in the cafeteria for many years,” said Muslimah Shabazz ’94. “I don’t think I would have survived school if it weren’t for her ear, heart, and love!” Her full obituary is available at thefactsnewspaper.com.

ClassNotes

1970s

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  • Michelle Purnell-Hepburn ’75, Patricia Edmond Quinn ’75, and Sheri Stephens ’75

    Alums Michelle Purnell-Hepburn ’75, Patricia Edmond Quinn ’75, and Sheri Stephens ’75 shared their reflections on lifelong friendships built at Bush in a video shared at Celebrate Bush on Saturday, March 14. 

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  • Sheri Stephens ’75

    Sheri Stephens ’75 led a workshop on art therapy for Upper School students interested in careers in counseling during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

1980s

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  • Lisa (Ragen) Ide ’80

    Former Bush Middle School history and geology teacher and coach Rob Corkran shared: “Lisa (Ragen) Ide ’80 (No. 203) in action in the Arctic Circle Race in Greenland last March. Three days, 160 kilometers. Two nights in small tents at negative eighteen degrees Fahrenheit! This is the world’s toughest cross-country ski race. Lisa was named to the USA development team in cross-country skiing out of Bush! After skiing for Dartmouth, she was the first woman to finish the 1985 Canadian Ski Marathon, also 160 kilometers. Lisa’s father, Brooks Ragen, was Chair of the Board at Bush. His insistence that teachers should receive a ten-percent-of-salary contribution to TIAA helped shape my active retirement of twenty years!”

  • Page Perey ’86

    writes: “I recently opened my private therapy practice, NEST Therapy, in the Madrona neighborhood. While I specialize in working with children and adolescents, I also serve clients across the lifespan. You can find me on Psychology Today and on the NEST Therapy website.” 

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  • Elina Erlendsson ’89

    is in Arlington, Virginia, where she leads human resources for the U.S. Wound & Tissue Repair division of Coloplast AG.  She started in her role nine years ago while part of Kerecis, an Icelandic biologics company that Coloplast acquired for $1.3 billion in August 2023. Elina and her husband, Erik, have a daughter in high school and a son attending the Technical University of Twente in the Netherlands.

  • Karim Lessard ’89

     joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2021. He was 2025– 2026 president of the Board of Trustees and served on the Governance and Executive committees as well as on the Capital Task Force.

1990s

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  • Maneesh Batra ’90

    Maneesh Batra ’90 is a member of The Bush School Board of Trustees, having joined the Board and the Community, Equity, and Inclusion Committee in 2021. 

  • Anne Barbo Moon ’95

    Anne Barbo Moon ’95 spoke with Upper School students interested in pursuing careers in medicine during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Mario Jimerson ’92

    Mario Jimerson ’92 writes: “I have been in education for twenty years. This school year, I stepped into an admin role. I work as an athletic director at a middle school. I was tasked with building an athletic program from the ground up.” 

  • Dominick Ohrbeck ’92

    Dominick Ohrbeck ’92 writes: “Filed a patent, founded a company, and moved back to Seattle.”

     

  • Chris Chickadel ’93

    Chris Chickadel ’93 spoke with Upper School students interested in oceanography and related careers during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Emily Alhadeff ’94

    Emily Alhadeff ’94 joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2018. Since then, she has chaired the Development Committee from 2019–2021, was co-chair of the Centennial Task Force, served on the Branding Committee and the Campaign Leadership Committee for the Upper School South building, and was a 2025–2026 Trustee. 

  • Steve Banks ’94

    Steve Banks ’94 spoke to Upper School students interested in sports management during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1. Additionally, Steve joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2018. He has served on the Centennial Task Force, the Tuition and Financial Aid Task Force, the Building Community and Engagement Committee, the Leadership Committee, and the Governance Committee. 

  • Kris Richey Washburn ’95

    Kris Richey Washburn ’95 started a position as executive managing broker at JLL Real Estate in Chicago, Illinois.

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  • Loren Alhadeff ’96

    Bush parent and alum Loren Alhadeff ’96 spoke to Upper School students about careers in investing and finance during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1. Additionally, Loren joined The Bush School Board of Trustees in 2023. He has served on the Development Committee since 2023 and also serves on the Capital Task Force and the Strategic Planning Task Force while co-chairing the Development Committee.

  • Loren Alhadeff ’96, Kate Bayley ’96, and Jodie (Franklin) Clarke ’95

    Alums Loren Alhadeff ’96, Kate Bayley ’96, and Jodie (Franklin) Clarke ’95 shared their reflections on community and friendship, both of which were forged at Bush for themselves and then their children, in a video shared at Celebrate Bush on Saturday, March 14.

2000s

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  • Atuanya Priester ’00 and Andrew Kubota ’17

    Atuanya Priester ’00 and Andrew Kubota ’17 teamed up to talk to Bush Upper School students about careers in filmmaking during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Irene Malatesta ’01 and James Portnow ’00

    Irene Malatesta ’01 writes: “In late 2023, I joined forces with another Bush alum, James Portnow ’00, to launch a game design studio: Night Crew Games. Since then, we ran a wildly successful crowdfunding campaign to raise $1.25 million on Kickstarter for our first game, Cyberpunk Legends! Fast forward to April 2026, and we’re finalizing all the details for our first production run, with the goal of shipping preorder copies this summer. The card game (a cooperative tabletop narrative adventure with creative poker-based combat mechanics and devious puzzles to solve) hits retail stores in the fall.”

  • Effie Gleason ’03

    Effie Gleason ’03 joined the tennis coaching staff at Bush this spring.

  • Jesse Proudman ’03

    Jesse Proudman ’03 spoke with Upper School students on entrepreneurship during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Erika Van Merr ’03

    Erika Van Merr ’03 is now director of institutional giving and partnerships at FareStart. 

  • Kelsey Shamrell-Harrington ’05

    Kelsey Shamrell-Harrington ’05 spoke to Upper School students interested in pursuing careers in law during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Kayla (Eland) Dawson ’08

    Kayla (Eland) Dawson ’08 was varsity track assistant coach this spring.

  • Melody Parker ’08

    Melody Parker ’08 writes: “Baby Reece Parker was born in September 2025! I teach middle school multilingual ed (and married a language arts teacher). Happily living in the mountains near Vail, Colorado.”

  • Charlotte Scott ’08

    Charlotte Scott ’08 moved to Bend, Oregon, in May 2025 and joined OSU-Cascades as the campus student care case manager. She served in a similar role at Whitman College before her move.

  • Amanda Lee ’09

    Amanda Lee ’09 is now director of marketing services at Passport.

2010s

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  • Hannah (Thornton) Roze ’11

    Hannah (Thornton) Roze ’11 is founder and CEO at Plannerd, which was featured in Forbes and Martha Stewart Living in 2026.

  • Duyen Tat ’12

    Duyen Tat ’12 inspired families and supporters of Bush at the annual Celebrate Bush fundraiser event this March, as she reflected on the people and experiences that have continued to impact her, and how lifelong friendships began at The Bush School.

  • Jake Ritmire ’13 

    Jake Ritmire ’13 coached girls varsity Ultimate this spring.

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  • Grant Friedman ’15

    Grant Friedman ’15 became engaged to Delaney Hewitt in November 2025.

  • Grace Farwell ’18

    Grace Farwell ’18 writes: “After a gap year abroad in 2019, graduation from Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota) in 2023, and my first job at the Minnesota Epilepsy Group in the neuropsychology department working with adults with epilepsy, in summer 2024 I moved back to Seattle and started work at Swedish Hospital’s Center for Healthy Aging as a neuropsychometrist. I administer and score batteries of neuropsychological tests to evaluate cognitive function for both geriatric patients and other movement disorder, neurological disorder, and dementia patients in the Swedish Neuroscience Institute. Outside of work, I’ve rekindled my joy for sketching and painting and have continued to enjoy the bountiful nature of the Pacific Northwest through boating, camping, and skiing.”

  • Michael Royzen ’18

    Michael Royzen ’18 founded Standard Signal, which he describes as “the first hedge fund that researches and executes trades purely with AI.”

  • Willa Barnett ’18, Oona Dederer ’19, Zoe Hardwick ’17, Thanh Huynh ’11, Jack Lessard ’22, and Kate Shuhart ’17

    Willa Barnett ’18, Oona Dederer ’19, Zoe Hardwick ’17, Thanh Huynh ’11, Jack Lessard ’22, and Kate Shuhart ’17 talked with Upper School students about how their thoughts about what they would study and what careers they would choose may or may not have shifted course during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

List of 4 items.

  • Amelia Keyser-Gibson ’14 and Meg Manning ’17

    Amelia Keyser-Gibson ’14 and Meg Manning ’17 teamed up to talk with Upper School students about pursuing careers in environmental work during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Amelia Wells ’14

    Amelia Wells ’14 was the boys varsity soccer assistant coach at Bush this spring. 

  • Samantha Wool ’14

    Samantha Wool ’14 is a master’s candidate at the University of Washington Information School in information management with dual specializations in AI and PPMC (product/program management and consulting).

  • Kian Azizirad ’15

    Kian Azizirad ’15 is now an associate attorney at Lewis Brisbois.

List of 3 items.

  • Nate Watson ’18

    Nate Watson ’18  spoke to students interested in careers in tech and software engineering about the impact of AI on software engineering and the implications for future progress during Career, Service, and Joy Day on Wednesday, April 1.

  • Lucy Cavener ’19

    Lucy Cavener ’19 writes: “Got a full-time position in the costume department of Union Arts Center (home of ACT and Seattle Shakespeare).”

  • Abby Parrish ’19

    Abby Parrish ’19 was admitted to the Stanford University School of Medicine, where she will pursue a Ph.D. in cancer biology beginning in fall 2026.

2020s

List of 2 items.

  • Elise Anstey ’20

    Elise Anstey ’20 is now business development operations lead at Applecart.

  • Niels Christoffersen ’20

    Niels Christoffersen ’20 coached Middle School Ultimate and was a part of the coaching staff for the inaugural Lower School Ultimate Club, both at Bush, this spring.

List of 9 items.

  • Claire Fitzgerald ’25

    Claire Fitzgerald ’25 is the Bush Facilities intern working on the Clean Buildings strategy this summer.

  • Casey Fleming ’21

    Casey Fleming ’21 recently worked on their first animated film as a production assistant at DreamWorks Animation. The film, called Swapped, came out in theaters in May.
     

  • Charles Gaffney ’21

    Charles Gaffney ’21 coached boys junior varsity soccer at Bush this spring.

  • Skylar Kil ’21

    Skylar Kil ’21 writes: “I graduated from Tulane University in May 2025 and now serve as a legislative correspondent and staff assistant in the office of U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal in Washington, D.C. Prior to this role, I completed three congressional internships with members of the Washington state delegation, including Representative Marilyn Strickland, Representative Emily Randall, and Senator Patty Murray. The education, mentorship, and opportunities I received at Bush laid the foundation for my interest in government and policy. Shout out to Nancy Bowman, whose classes not only sparked my passion for public service and government, but also pushed me to pursue work that advances effective, equitable, and representative governance. I am proud to now serve in an office where I can give back to the community I come from.”

  • Pablo Zilly ’21

    Pablo Zilly ’21 coached boys' junior varsity soccer at Bush this spring.

  • Grace Hove ’22

    Grace Hove ’22 presented her senior research project, “Characterizing Galacturonic Acid Catabolism Mutants in Sinorhizobium Meliloti and Their Impacts on Symbiosis with Medicago Sativa,” for her B.S. in biology and minor in chemistry program at the University of Redlands.

  • Amelia Grace Worthington ’22

    Amelia Grace Worthington ’22 is now a research associate at the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party.

  • Taylor Yi ’22

    Taylor Yi ’22 is now an embedded ECE capstone intern at Advanced Navigation and Positioning Corporation (ANPC).

  • LiLi Finch ’23

    LiLi Finch ’23 is a 2026 summer intern at the Benaroya Research Institute. 

CELEBRATE BUSH SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTA COMMUNITY UNITED FOR FINANCIAL AID

This year’s Celebrate Bush: Home Team Heroes event brought together nineteen generous sponsors in support of financial aid at The Bush School, helping to ensure that a Bush education remains accessible to all. Leading the way was United Airlines, our World Cup Trophy Sponsor. 

United believes in being an active member of the communities it serves. United Airlines is known for its philanthropic support in a number of fields, one of which is education. It focuses on inspiring Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade students to explore careers in aviation and supporting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning programs.

Many of our sponsors have direct connections with the Bush community. Among them are Barney Harford and Beth Birnbaum, parents at Bush since 2017. Barney has been a member of the United Airlines board of directors since 2016, giving him the opportunity to direct this sponsorship.

“We’re delighted to be able to support Bush’s goal of making a Bush education accessible to students of all backgrounds, regardless of financial circumstances,” Barney said.

The impact of sponsorships like these is profound. The Bush School extends heartfelt thanks to all of the community members who came together to support the event and students. If you are interested in being our next top-tier sponsor, or sponsoring at another level, contact the Annual Giving Manager Laurel Messenger at laurel.messenger@bush.edu or at (206) 838-8821.
Experience the full 2026 edition of Experience by clicking here for more articles, photos and content.

Please contact communications@bush.edu with any corrections, errors or updates.
The Bush School
The Bush School is an independent day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 775 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities

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