Menu

Alumnae Board

Sarah S.

Sarah Shaw '23

Southwick, MA

Sarah Shaw '23

Sarah You

Sarah You '22

China

Sarah You '22

Fiona Cox de Kerckhove

Fiona de Kerckhove '89

United Kingdom

Fiona de Kerckhove '89

Katie Wilhelm Alumnae Board

Katie Hillman Wilhelm '83

Bonita Springs, FL

Katie Hillman Wilhelm '83

B.A., Sweet Briar College
M.B.A., Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management

Katie is currently serving various management roles in the packaging industry, is on Lurie’s Children Hospital Board in Chicago and The Food Pantry of The Church of The Holy Spirit in Lake Forest.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the board?

Reconnecting with the place that had some of my fondest memories! But most importantly helping young women grow to their fullest potential.

Read Full Profile

Caroline Strapp '18

Granby, CT

Caroline Strapp '18

B.A., University of Connecticut (expected 2022)

Caroline Strapp is a dual degree student at the University of Connecticut where she has completed an English degree and is finishing a second in Graphic Design. She has worked as the Yearbook Managing Editor, Magazine Managing Editor, and now as a Designer at UConn’s Nutmeg Publishing.


What is your fondest memory or tradition from your time at Walker’s?

Lots of small things! My favorite tradition is probably Mountain Day. For a fond memory… It’s a tie between getting a lunch table with your best friends, and dance practice with Ms. Soule and all my teammates.

Read Full Profile
Kristen St. Louis

Kristen St. Louis '21

Bronx, NY

Kristen St. Louis '21

Beth McGuinness

Beth McGuinness '88

Denver, CO

Beth McGuinness '88

B.S., Pepperdine University
M.A., University of Chicago
M.B.A., Loyola University

Beth is an author of children’s financial literacy books. She has worked in healthcare for 20 years, most recently as a VP at Highline Financial, Sales Director at Trizetto, and Director at Health Data Management Solutions. Beth is a Partner with the JumpStart Coalition and obtained two certificates this year from UC Berkeley in bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the board?

Hopefully helping students and building new relationships with board members and alumnae.

Read Full Profile

Jeanette Pelizzon '07

San Diego, CA

Jeanette Pelizzon '07

B.A., Franklin University Switzerland
M.P.A., Monterey Institute of International Studies

Jeanette has just returned to the USA after traveling for the past four years while working remotely. She is a UX Designer and her current contract is with TIP Global Health, an NGO focused on last-mile health care in rural Rwanda. Prior to that Jeanette helped start-ups such as WeWork and Remote Year during their early stage, rapid growth.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the board?

I love becoming more involved in the Walker’s community.

Read Full Profile
Dele Odumosu

Dele Odumosu '12

Brooklyn, NY

Dele Odumosu '12

Kayla Monroe

Kayla Monroe '12

Enfield, CT

Kayla Monroe '12

Tracey Reifler

Tracey Reifler '82

Seattle, WA

Tracey Reifler '82

Samara Khalique Grove Alumnae Board

Samara Khalique Grove '00

Co-Chair · Salem, VA

Samara Khalique Grove '00

sun dial sundial

Mahori Shigeta ’10

Tokyo, Japan

Mahori Shigeta ’10

Alicia Little Hodge Alumnae Board

Alicia Little Hodge ’01

Washington, DC

Alicia Little Hodge ’01

Jamiah Tappin ’00

Boston, MA

Jamiah Tappin ’00

Eliza Massaro Alumnae Board

Eliza Pell David Massaro ’92

Avon, CT

Eliza Pell David Massaro ’92

Boston University
B.S., Trinity College

Elize is a clean water activist, volunteer for multiple amazing charities, has owned a children’s boutique, managed a political campaign, and has a passion for costume design. She’s a “jack of all trades, master of none.”


How did attending Walker’s impact your path and where you are now?

The friendships I built at Walker’s have sustained me and helped build me into the person I am now. We continue contact and our friendships have evolved from teenage-hood all the way through parenting and everything in between.

Read Full Profile
Ellie Bell '12 Alumnae Board

Ellie Bell ’12

Chadds Ford, PA

Ellie Bell ’12

B.A., College of Wooster

What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the Alumnae Board?

I always feel so empowered when I’m back on campus and brainstorming with my fellow board members. It’s such a magical feeling being back on campus and getting to share stories with each other all while continuing to share our love with the school and future alum.

What is your fondest memory or tradition from your time at Walker’s?

I loved walking back from the barn with my friends to Cluett.

Read Full Profile
sun dial sundial

Gwendolyn K. Wisely ’96

Rumson, NJ

Gwendolyn K. Wisely ’96

Randolph Macon College
The Neighborhood Playhouse

Gwendolyn keeps herself busy running a small Garden Service. In addition to balancing the lives of her two teenage children, she also finds time to volunteer frequently in her community.

What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the Alumnae Board?

Connecting with friends new and old, and seeing the Walker’s thread of tradition, innovation, and creativity throughout.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a graduating Walker’s student?

Always stay in touch with your friends! 25 years later, my classmates are still my sisters.

Read Full Profile
Nicole Hart Dunn Alumnae Board

Nicole Hart Dunn ’96

Simsbury, CT

Nicole Hart Dunn ’96

B.A., Hofstra University

Nicky spent 12 years in publishing, first in books and then magazines. She shifted gears about three years ago and is now the director of administration for a general contractor in East Hartford, CT. It’s a great company with a small but talented team. They offer their clients everything from the architectural, interior and branding design, to the actual construction.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the Alumnae Board?

I love learning about all of the new opportunities being offered to our students. It seems like everything has gotten better, from the curriculum to the community partnerships. It’s very exciting and I’m always eager to help spread the word.

Read Full Profile
Caryl Van Ranst Dearing ’60 Alumnae Board

Caryl Van Ranst Dearing ’60

Oak Bluffs, MA

Caryl Van Ranst Dearing ’60

Associate of Arts, Westbrook Jr. College (University of New England)
B.A., Indiana University

Between 1993 and 2003, Caryl was Partner and Co-owner of Cass Street Deport (fiber business), Junior League, and is president of several organizations, on the Board of Directors of the Featherstone Center for the Arts, and actively volunteers in other areas in her community.


How did attending Walker’s impact your path and where you are now?

It gave the ability to advocate for myself as I knew nobody when I came to Walkers as a junior from the Midwest from public school.

Read Full Profile
Sarah Doering Alumnae Board

Sarah Elting Doering ’65

Malibu, CA

Sarah Elting Doering ’65

B.A., Barnard College

Sarah is a retired Sales Management professional whose career flourished in the wholesale bakery business in Southern California. Now, she is active on boards on non-profit foundations serving the substance abuse recovery community.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part about being on the Alumnae Board?

I am filled with admiration and gratitude for the leadership of Meera Viswanathan and for the many ways she has brought our school to another level of excellence. I have loved meeting other alumnae sharing the same dedication to developing the minds of the next generation of women leaders.

Read Full Profile
Cynthia Vega Alumnae Board

Cynthia Vega ’82

Dominican Republic

Cynthia Vega ’82

B.A., Wellesley College
M.B.A., University of California Berkeley, Haas School of Business

Cynthia owns her own Strategic Financial Advisory form focusing on Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Finance, Capital Raising, Project Finance, and other financial advisory services.


What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the Alumnae Board?

Staying connected to the School and its spectacular alumnae in addition to being a part of the strategic planning process so that other girls receive the kind of education that will make them thrive in the future.

Read Full Profile
Susan Jensen Rawles Alumnae Board

Susan Jensen Rawles '82

Richmond, VA

Susan Jensen Rawles '82

B.A., Smith College
M.A., Rice University
Ph.D., William and Mary

Associate Curator of American Painting and Decorative Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts


What is your favorite tradition from your time at Walker’s?

Cluett and the Ba-Na-Nas!

Who was your favorite teacher? Why?

Mr. Deely – we had an independent tutorial on political philosophy and it was great fun!

Read Full Profile
Katharine Swibold Alumnae Board

Katharine Swibold ’78

Secretary · Tarrytown, NY

Katharine Swibold ’78

B.A., Smith College

Katharine is currently an administrative assistant at The Horace Mann School in the Nursery Division. Before her time here, Katharine spent time at the Hewitt School after her time as an executive assistant to the VP for Development at Barnard College for nine years.

In her time outside of work, Katharine is a member of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Smith College Libraries and served on the Board of Directors of the Smith College Alumnae Association. In her community, Katharine is known for serving as the Elementary PTA President, her school’s foundation President, and as a member of the Board of the local region of the American Youth Soccer Organization where she coordinated the summer soccer camp for 10 years.


What is one piece of advice you would give to a graduating Walker’s student?

Life is not linear. You can make plans, and you should, but be prepared to adjust those plans. Take chances and risks when they present themselves. Don’t play it too safe. Life is indeed short, and if you don’t take those chances, you might regret it later in life when it might be too late… though, I’ve been told it is never too late! Also, cherish your friends from Walker’s. Stay connected to them. And go back to Simsbury for your reunions when ever your life allows it. Reunions are so much fun!

Read Full Profile
Charlotte Weidlein Lenzner

Charlotte Weidlein Lenzner ’05

Co-Chair · Bronxville, NY

Charlotte Weidlein Lenzner ’05

B.S., Bates College

Senior Director of Business Development & Corporate Sponsorships at Global Citizen


What is one piece of advice you would give to a graduating Walker’s student?

Welcome to the incredible community of Walker’s Alumnae! My closest friends still to this day are from EWS, and I am now very lucky to have new friends across generations within the alumnae community. Hold true to our values: Sisterhood, Leadership and Community.

Read Full Profile

Nina Chukwura ’17

Somerville, MA

Nina Chukwura ’17

Tufts University

Nina is a current student at Tufts University, where she is involved in many groups and organizations. A former Cicerone at Walker’s Nina is now a tour guide on campus at Tufts in addition to being on the Executive Board for the Petey Greene Program- a program dedicated to supplementing education in jails, prisons, and detention centers by providing free and quality tutoring to incarcerated people. She is also a leader for Tufts Wilderness Orientation, which is a five-day hiking trip for eight first-years on the Appalachian trail. Nina also keeps herself busy by working in a biology lab focused on coffee bean production in Costa Rica.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a graduating Walker’s student?

I would say that it takes time to feel comfortable at college and find your niche (longer than it may have taken at Walkers)- but it will happen, and you should trust in this fact. Walker’s has provided you with all the tools to be successful and have a fulfilling college experience.

Read Full Profile
Eliza Wetmore Alumnae Board

Eliza Wetmore ’18

Darien, CT

Eliza Wetmore ’18

Kenyon College

What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being on the Alumnae Board?

I love feeling connected to Walker’s in any way I can. Monthly calls with the Alumnae Board remind me of my time at Walker’s and how grateful I am for my wonderful three years on 230 Bushy Hill Road. As a member of the student engagement committee, I have loved finding new ways for students and alumnae to stay connected!

Read Full Profile