Class Notes

I served for 20 years in the Air Force as a B-52 Navigator, Radar Navigator, Co-pilot, and Aircraft Commander. Additionally, I served as an instructor for each of these roles. Upon retiring, I trained and flew with United Airlines on the B-727, B-777, and Airbus 319/321. I am living in Colorado and hope to visit campus soon.  

I continue feeling gratitude for Dexter/Southfield and the great mentors who awakened me. My creative work as a sculptor and author is ongoing. I have sculptures in parks and museums around the world, nearly fifty museums. I recently completed a sculpture installation honoring the courage of Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington, D.C. In the works is a third book, “A Sculptor's Book of Hours,” pictures alternating with text. Francis Caswell taught us Latin: GRATIA DEI, SUM QUOD SUM. 

When I retired, in May 2024, I was presented with a surprising opportunity, and in June I returned to 20 Newton St., where I am now employed as a Campus Safety Officer. What an amazing place to return to. There is a noticeably different and much larger student body bringing energy every day, while still clearly based on a traditional foundation. Public Speaking and Assemblies bring back memories, while an extremely competitive Athletic program makes the school year fly by. Things are good here on Mount Walley! 

It was great to gather with classmates Chris Burke, D’Arcy Carroll, and Peter Rockett at our 50th reunion this past Fall. A small group, but committed, as Chris and D’Arcy flew in from overseas. All is well with the Warners. My wife Ann retired this past September after 38 years as a cardiac nurse at Beth Israel (41 years as an RN in total). Although I am still working as the State Archivist, we have been doing some traveling, including Quebec City for Winter Carnival, New York, and Florida. A year ago, March, we welcomed our first grandchild, June Francis, so we have been visiting her and her parents—my son, John, and daughter-in-law, Hannah—in Washington, DC. All the best, John. 

Zach Shapiro and Ron Galperin are the proud parents of 6 1/2 year-old twins. Well, most of my classmates have kids often in college and beyond; we got a late start—and don’t regret it for a moment! I’ve been serving as a senior Rabbi of Temple Akiba of Culver City since 2006. 

JP lives outside London (UK) with his wife and five kids. He comes to Boston, NYC, and D.C. regularly for work. After a career in banking, Pope Francis appointed him and three other investment professionals from around the world to build out the Vatican’s sovereign wealth fund, consolidating the holdings of over 100 legal entities, including the pension fund, an ongoing assignment. More recently, JP launched RegHedge, a stealth startup building the world’s first fully automated policy intelligence platform, mapping the US Federal government for the business and investment communities, quantifying regulatory and policy risk for thousands of companies. As he grows the business, he’s looking for top tech talent in AI (Deep learning, ANNs/RNNs, NLP, algos,) and data scientists, preferably with a legal or financial focus; please reach out. 

Life has been full of wonderful milestones. I got married in Newport, RI, August 2023, and my husband and I enjoyed a beautiful honeymoon in Scotland. In March 2025, we welcomed our baby boy, who has brought so much joy and energy into our lives. 

We are back and forth between New York and Rhode Island, appreciating Central Park, The Met, and of course, the ocean. I’ve continued my love for photography and singing, these days with a few added “wheels on the bus” renditions. I hope everyone is well, and we look forward to visiting campus very soon! 

My wife and I were married in Newport, RI, last September and now live in Beacon Hill. 

I’ve lived in California for 10 years and have been in Orange County (Newport Beach) for four. It’s a beautiful place, though very different from Boston! I work at a small venture capital firm, which I’m enjoying. My family is in Savannah, GA, now so I don’t get back to New England much, but if anyone ever finds themselves near Newport Beach, please reach out! 

I am now a maternal fetal medicine/genetics fellow planning a career in high-risk obstetrics and fetal intervention. I credit Southfield with every foundational skill that I have that let me succeed in college, grad school, med school, and beyond. From things like learning how to speak in front of crowds (I still know my Kindergarten Public Speaking part!) to knowing how to memorize vocabulary words and approach new problems with structure—all of those have served me very well. I am so thankful for everything Southfield gave me that I am sending my four-year-old to Dexter (Willie started PreK in August 2025!).

Joyfully welcomed baby Layla Kassis into our family on September 26, 2025. Subsequently relocated with our family to Miami, Florida, marking an exciting new chapter. 

After Dexter, I attended and graduated from Babson College (2014) where I captained the hockey team. I am now a Boston-based corporate real estate advisor with Colliers, where I represent companies with their real estate decision making and planning. 

Our daughter and future Shield, Tate Shifley, was born on New Year’s Eve. 

Since graduating, I studied law, then began my career as an educator abroad in Moscow. Before I went back to school to get my Master’s in Education and transitioning into edtech, I managed educational programs throughout Russia. While in edtech, I’ve partnered with states, nonprofits, and schools to scale program implementation. Today, I’m an Operations & Data Analyst, using data to support programs serving 100K+ students and thousands of educators to improve education systems at scale. 

Since graduating, I have obtained a B.S. in dietetics from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s from Lasell University. Today, I am a certified Sexual Assault Investigator and currently assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit as a detective in the Boston Police Department. 

“Help us to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong.” Those words were part of the Head of School’s prayer every Wednesday chapel service while I attended Dexter Southfield. At the time, it was a simple prayer. I could never have imagined how much those words would resonate with me many years after graduation. I have spent my entire career in politics and government. I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned at Dexter Southfield, despite the challenging curriculum, because of the values I’ve taken away from every lesson I learned. I currently live in Alexandria, Virginia, with my wife, Jacqueline, and our young son, Matthew III. 

After a few years living and working in Charleston, SC, I recently relocated back to Boston to join Triumvirate Environmental as an Account Manager. Excited to be back in New England and ready for some summer weather! 

I will be marrying my college sweetheart, Christian, this October in Rhode Island. I recently started working at Wheaton College as Director of Conference and Event Services. In July, I will be sworn in as the Vice President of Membership for the International Live Events Association’s Boston Chapter. I also sit on the Young Professional Board for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) and the Advisory Board of the Academic Events Professional organization. 

Katie is delighted to share that she and her long-time partner, Richard Gonzales, got married on April 25 in Boston! 

After undergrad, I was a research trainee at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for two years. This coming fall, I am excited to share that I will be joining Duke University’s medical physics master’s program with the goal of pursuing a subsequent PhD.

Thomas Gross ’18 and I are engaged! We are so grateful for Dexter Southfield for bringing us together. We will always call DXSF home and the beginning of our love story!

Olivia got married to college sweetheart Spencer Brennessel in a redwood forest ceremony in Mendocino, California on September 20, 2025. The couple honeymooned in Italy!

The past year has been an exciting time in my life! I graduated from Holy Cross in the spring of ’25 and one week later, started my professional career at Manulife John Hancock Investments. With the SIE, Series 7, and most recently, Series 66 now behind me, I look forward to spending my time catching up and reconnecting with old friends. I will be moving to Boston in June with two fellow DXSF Class of 2020 alumni, and I hope to pick up the guitar again soon…it’s been a while. 

Hey all! After almost two years of working in marketing with the Houston Astros, I recently started a new job with Professional Sports Partners in Houston. We are a sports marketing agency, and I am on the sales activation team working to make sure we fulfill contracts. If you know anyone interested in the sports world, I would be happy to connect and share insights. Hope everyone is doing well! 

I am joining the Army.

I graduated from Dexter Southfield in 2022 after starting in fourth grade, and I am now honored to serve on the Alumni Board. I recently graduated from Hamilton College, where I studied Economics and Government while playing on the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. 

I just graduated from College of the Holy Cross and started a job as an HR coordinator!! 

I will be attending Boston University next year for my Master’s in Child Life and Family Centered Care! 

I recently graduated from Bentley. I was a former Summit Partners intern, and I plan to pursue law. Dexter shaped my confidence, leadership, and lifelong ties to community. 

I am excited to share that I will be joining NOBULL as a Product Marketing Intern at their Boston office this summer (2026)! I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I cannot wait to get started. 

Since graduating from Dexter Southfield, I’ve been at Lehigh University studying Psychology and Public Health. I miss my time on Mount Walley, but it really prepared me for what I’m doing now, especially in research, public speaking, and leadership. I’m currently working on a research project studying how first-time mothers transition into motherhood, focusing on how identity processing styles affect adjustment. I analyze interviews, transcripts, and identify themes to better understand maternal socialization and support. I also work as a behavioral technician with children with autism, which is always the highlight of my day. This summer, I’ll be traveling to Uganda for two months to work in a maternity ward and teach in a school! 

I served for 20 years in the Air Force as a B-52 Navigator, Radar Navigator, Co-pilot, and Aircraft Commander. Additionally, I served as an instructor for each of these roles. Upon retiring, I trained and flew with United Airlines on the B-727, B-777, and Airbus 319/321. I am living in Colorado and hope to visit campus soon.  

I continue feeling gratitude for Dexter/Southfield and the great mentors who awakened me. My creative work as a sculptor and author is ongoing. I have sculptures in parks and museums around the world, nearly fifty museums. I recently completed a sculpture installation honoring the courage of Bishop Mariann Budde of Washington, D.C. In the works is a third book, “A Sculptor's Book of Hours,” pictures alternating with text. Francis Caswell taught us Latin: GRATIA DEI, SUM QUOD SUM. 

When I retired, in May 2024, I was presented with a surprising opportunity, and in June I returned to 20 Newton St., where I am now employed as a Campus Safety Officer. What an amazing place to return to. There is a noticeably different and much larger student body bringing energy every day, while still clearly based on a traditional foundation. Public Speaking and Assemblies bring back memories, while an extremely competitive Athletic program makes the school year fly by. Things are good here on Mount Walley! 

It was great to gather with classmates Chris Burke, D’Arcy Carroll, and Peter Rockett at our 50th reunion this past Fall. A small group, but committed, as Chris and D’Arcy flew in from overseas. All is well with the Warners. My wife Ann retired this past September after 38 years as a cardiac nurse at Beth Israel (41 years as an RN in total). Although I am still working as the State Archivist, we have been doing some traveling, including Quebec City for Winter Carnival, New York, and Florida. A year ago, March, we welcomed our first grandchild, June Francis, so we have been visiting her and her parents—my son, John, and daughter-in-law, Hannah—in Washington, DC. All the best, John. 

Zach Shapiro and Ron Galperin are the proud parents of 6 1/2 year-old twins. Well, most of my classmates have kids often in college and beyond; we got a late start—and don’t regret it for a moment! I’ve been serving as a senior Rabbi of Temple Akiba of Culver City since 2006. 

JP lives outside London (UK) with his wife and five kids. He comes to Boston, NYC, and D.C. regularly for work. After a career in banking, Pope Francis appointed him and three other investment professionals from around the world to build out the Vatican’s sovereign wealth fund, consolidating the holdings of over 100 legal entities, including the pension fund, an ongoing assignment. More recently, JP launched RegHedge, a stealth startup building the world’s first fully automated policy intelligence platform, mapping the US Federal government for the business and investment communities, quantifying regulatory and policy risk for thousands of companies. As he grows the business, he’s looking for top tech talent in AI (Deep learning, ANNs/RNNs, NLP, algos,) and data scientists, preferably with a legal or financial focus; please reach out. 

Life has been full of wonderful milestones. I got married in Newport, RI, August 2023, and my husband and I enjoyed a beautiful honeymoon in Scotland. In March 2025, we welcomed our baby boy, who has brought so much joy and energy into our lives. 

We are back and forth between New York and Rhode Island, appreciating Central Park, The Met, and of course, the ocean. I’ve continued my love for photography and singing, these days with a few added “wheels on the bus” renditions. I hope everyone is well, and we look forward to visiting campus very soon! 

My wife and I were married in Newport, RI, last September and now live in Beacon Hill. 

I’ve lived in California for 10 years and have been in Orange County (Newport Beach) for four. It’s a beautiful place, though very different from Boston! I work at a small venture capital firm, which I’m enjoying. My family is in Savannah, GA, now so I don’t get back to New England much, but if anyone ever finds themselves near Newport Beach, please reach out! 

I am now a maternal fetal medicine/genetics fellow planning a career in high-risk obstetrics and fetal intervention. I credit Southfield with every foundational skill that I have that let me succeed in college, grad school, med school, and beyond. From things like learning how to speak in front of crowds (I still know my Kindergarten Public Speaking part!) to knowing how to memorize vocabulary words and approach new problems with structure—all of those have served me very well. I am so thankful for everything Southfield gave me that I am sending my four-year-old to Dexter (Willie started PreK in August 2025!).

Joyfully welcomed baby Layla Kassis into our family on September 26, 2025. Subsequently relocated with our family to Miami, Florida, marking an exciting new chapter. 

After Dexter, I attended and graduated from Babson College (2014) where I captained the hockey team. I am now a Boston-based corporate real estate advisor with Colliers, where I represent companies with their real estate decision making and planning. 

Our daughter and future Shield, Tate Shifley, was born on New Year’s Eve. 

Since graduating, I studied law, then began my career as an educator abroad in Moscow. Before I went back to school to get my Master’s in Education and transitioning into edtech, I managed educational programs throughout Russia. While in edtech, I’ve partnered with states, nonprofits, and schools to scale program implementation. Today, I’m an Operations & Data Analyst, using data to support programs serving 100K+ students and thousands of educators to improve education systems at scale. 

Since graduating, I have obtained a B.S. in dietetics from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s from Lasell University. Today, I am a certified Sexual Assault Investigator and currently assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit as a detective in the Boston Police Department. 

“Help us to stand for the hard right against the easy wrong.” Those words were part of the Head of School’s prayer every Wednesday chapel service while I attended Dexter Southfield. At the time, it was a simple prayer. I could never have imagined how much those words would resonate with me many years after graduation. I have spent my entire career in politics and government. I will always be grateful for the lessons I learned at Dexter Southfield, despite the challenging curriculum, because of the values I’ve taken away from every lesson I learned. I currently live in Alexandria, Virginia, with my wife, Jacqueline, and our young son, Matthew III. 

After a few years living and working in Charleston, SC, I recently relocated back to Boston to join Triumvirate Environmental as an Account Manager. Excited to be back in New England and ready for some summer weather! 

I will be marrying my college sweetheart, Christian, this October in Rhode Island. I recently started working at Wheaton College as Director of Conference and Event Services. In July, I will be sworn in as the Vice President of Membership for the International Live Events Association’s Boston Chapter. I also sit on the Young Professional Board for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (MSPCC) and the Advisory Board of the Academic Events Professional organization. 

Katie is delighted to share that she and her long-time partner, Richard Gonzales, got married on April 25 in Boston! 

After undergrad, I was a research trainee at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for two years. This coming fall, I am excited to share that I will be joining Duke University’s medical physics master’s program with the goal of pursuing a subsequent PhD.

Thomas Gross ’18 and I are engaged! We are so grateful for Dexter Southfield for bringing us together. We will always call DXSF home and the beginning of our love story!

Olivia got married to college sweetheart Spencer Brennessel in a redwood forest ceremony in Mendocino, California on September 20, 2025. The couple honeymooned in Italy!

The past year has been an exciting time in my life! I graduated from Holy Cross in the spring of ’25 and one week later, started my professional career at Manulife John Hancock Investments. With the SIE, Series 7, and most recently, Series 66 now behind me, I look forward to spending my time catching up and reconnecting with old friends. I will be moving to Boston in June with two fellow DXSF Class of 2020 alumni, and I hope to pick up the guitar again soon…it’s been a while. 

Hey all! After almost two years of working in marketing with the Houston Astros, I recently started a new job with Professional Sports Partners in Houston. We are a sports marketing agency, and I am on the sales activation team working to make sure we fulfill contracts. If you know anyone interested in the sports world, I would be happy to connect and share insights. Hope everyone is doing well! 

I am joining the Army.

I graduated from Dexter Southfield in 2022 after starting in fourth grade, and I am now honored to serve on the Alumni Board. I recently graduated from Hamilton College, where I studied Economics and Government while playing on the Women’s Ice Hockey Team. 

I just graduated from College of the Holy Cross and started a job as an HR coordinator!! 

I will be attending Boston University next year for my Master’s in Child Life and Family Centered Care! 

I recently graduated from Bentley. I was a former Summit Partners intern, and I plan to pursue law. Dexter shaped my confidence, leadership, and lifelong ties to community. 

I am excited to share that I will be joining NOBULL as a Product Marketing Intern at their Boston office this summer (2026)! I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, and I cannot wait to get started. 

Since graduating from Dexter Southfield, I’ve been at Lehigh University studying Psychology and Public Health. I miss my time on Mount Walley, but it really prepared me for what I’m doing now, especially in research, public speaking, and leadership. I’m currently working on a research project studying how first-time mothers transition into motherhood, focusing on how identity processing styles affect adjustment. I analyze interviews, transcripts, and identify themes to better understand maternal socialization and support. I also work as a behavioral technician with children with autism, which is always the highlight of my day. This summer, I’ll be traveling to Uganda for two months to work in a maternity ward and teach in a school!