Board of Trustees
Executive Committee
Ward Horton, P ’24, ’28, Chair
Vani Bettegowda, P ’22, ’25, Co-Vice Chair
Don San Jose, P ’22, ’25, Co-Vice Chair
Michael Blitzer, P ’24, ’27, Treasurer
Meade Fogel, P ’27, ’28, ’28, Secretary
David Durkin, P ’18, ’22, ’23
Roger Ferris, P ’18, ’18, ’20, ’28
Board
Gil Aikins P '33
Renee Bea, P '28, '30
Howard Blaustein P ’31, ’35
Rebecca Bliss
Bill Bucknall, GP '24, '26
Catherine Foster Ellison ’00 P ’35, ’37
Sanford "Sandy" Ewing, P ’20, ’23, ’26
Roopali Hall P '31, '33
Sean Obi ’13
Andy Papadakos, P '26, '30, '37
Amber Paquette P ’28, ’28, ’33
Dmitri Ponomarev P ’30, ’31
Melanie Smith, P '22, '24, '28
Page Tremaine '93, P '23, '26
Bob Whelan, P ’24, Ex-officio
Board Bios
- Gil Aikins, P '33
- Renee Bea, P '30
- Vani Bettegowda, P ’22, ’25
- Howard Blaustein P ’31, ’35
- Rebecca Bliss
- Mike Blitzer, P ’24, ’27
- William Bucknall, GP '24, '26
- David Durkin, P ’18, ’22, ’23
- Catherine Foster Ellison ’00 P ’35, ’37
- Sanford “Sandy” Ewing, P ’20, ’23, ’26
- Roger Ferris, P ’18, ’18, ’20, ’28
- Meade Fogel, P '27, '28. '28
- Roopali Hall P '31, '33
- Ward Horton, P ’24, ’28
- Sean Obi '13
- Andy Papadakos, P ’26, ’30, ’37
- Amber Paquette P ’28, ’28, ’33
- Dmitri Ponomarev P ’30, ’31
- Don San Jose, P '22, '25
- Melanie Smith, P '22, '24, '29
- Page Roberts Tremaine '93, P '23, '26
Gil Aikins, P '33
Board member since 2022
Committees: Finance, Marketing (Chair)
Gil Aikins worked for several years on Wall Street at top-tier investment firms in Fixed Income and International Equities; however, his passion for travelling and emerging markets finance led him to live and work in Ghana, South Africa, and Brazil. During this time abroad, he took a leap of faith to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions. These early business ventures ultimately led to Gil founding Global Securities Consulting Group LLC in 2017 - a 100% owned & operated minority business enterprise delivering executive management, C-suite level consulting, and a range of operational & compliance services to broker-dealers, investment advisers, and other institutional financial market participants worldwide.
Gil graduated from Brunswick School in Greenwich CT and earned his B.A. in English from The College of William & Mary and an M.B.A in Finance from Tulane University. He also obtained a Certificate in Brazilian Studies from Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) in Sao Paulo.
Gil served on the GFA Advisory Council from 2020 -2022 and has been an active volunteer (along with his wife, Natasha) in the GFA community. They live in Easton with their two daughters.
Renee Bea, P '30
Board member since 2023
Committees: Buildings and Grounds, Coyle Scholar (Chair)
Renee Bea is a partner at Slarskey LLC, a boutique commercial trial law firm in New York. Her practice focuses on investor, financial products, intellectual property, and fiduciary disputes. Prior to teaming up with her law school classmate at Slarskey LLC, Renee founded a law firm in San Francisco, California (now Singer Cashman LLP) which has continued to thrive after she and her husband, Sebastian, relocated from the Bay Area to Darien, Connecticut in 2017. Prior to launching and building out these two law firms, Renee spent a decade practicing law at two of the most notable trial law firms in the country: Quinn Emanuel Urquhardt & Sullivan LLP and Jones Day.
Renee was born in Guatemala, and most of her extended family continues to reside in Antigua and Guatemala City, where her grandfather founded law schools at Landivar and Marroquin Universities. Inspired by her grandfather, Renee cultivated a passion for education and the economic
empowerment of underprivileged people, especially women. Renee finds meaning in mentoring young professionals and advocating for policy initiatives that create opportunity for the next generation.
Renee graduated from Santa Ynez Valley High School in Santa Ynez, California, earned a B.S. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley, and a J.D. from Stanford Law School. Renee previously served on the GFA Advisory Council and has been an active volunteer with the Annual
Campaign for GFA. Renee has also served on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross (Bay Area), and as an advisor to Mercado Global. Renee and Sebastian live in Darien with their two daughters.
Vani Bettegowda, P ’22, ’25
Board member since 2015
Committees: Executive Committee (Co-Vice Chair), Advance Plan, Committee on Trustees (Co-Chair), Educational Policy (Co-Chair), Equity & Inclusion, Horizons at GFA Board of Directors Liaison, Marketing, Advisory Council (Co-Chair)
Vani Bettegowda is a graduate of Northwestern University and has a M.H.S. from Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. She worked on women's, maternal, and infant health issues for 15 years, most recently serving as the Director of the Perinatal Data Center at the March of Dimes. Prior to joining the Board, Vani served on the Advisory Council, Education Policy Committee, and as an Annual Giving Class Captain. She lives in Wilton with her husband, Manu, and their two daughters.
Howard Blaustein P ’31, ’35
Board member since 2024
Committees: Marketing
Prior to moving to Connecticut in 2022, Howard lived his entire life in New York. He attended Vassar College and New York Law School before a 15-year legal career in corporate and restructuring law. In 2013, Howard co-founded a technology-based restructuring administration firm named Prime Clerk, which was acquired in 2019 by Kroll, where he currently works as a Managing Director.
Howard is an avid art collector, yogi, squash player, and former marathon runner. He is active in numerous charitable causes including those that help our environment, support food insecure families, and nurture young professionals. He lives with his wife Christina and their two children in Westport.
Rebecca Bliss
Board member since 2019
Committees: Marketing
Since graduating from Brown University in 1992, Rebecca Bliss has primarily worked in higher education, focusing on advising, access, admission, and service-learning. After completing her graduate degree at Stanford University in 1994, she was a first-year dean at Georgetown University, the Associate Director of Foundation Programs and an external admissions reader at Dartmouth College, and she spent five years as the sophomore and junior class dean at Dickinson College. Following her time at Dickinson, Bliss served for four years as an external reader in the Carleton College admission office. Earlier in her career, she worked for the Corporation for National and Community Service in Washington, DC, overseeing a portfolio of higher education grants and conducting site visits to dozens of colleges and universities nationwide. From 2015-2019, Bliss worked at Brown University in the Alumni College Admission Program (ACAP), providing free college counseling to the children of Brown alumni. After working for several years as an independent educational consultant, Bliss now primarily assists pro bono clients and low-income students in the Providence, RI community. She recently completed six years as a member of the board of trustees at St. George's School in Rhode Island. Bliss and her husband live in East Greenwich, RI, and have two grown daughters.
Mike Blitzer, P ’24, ’27
Board member since 2016
Committees: Finance and Investment (Chair), Executive Committee, Committee on Trustees
Michael Blitzer is a Managing Partner at Kingstown Capital, a New York City-based investment firm that he founded in 2006. Mr. Blitzer is also the founder of Inflection Point Asset Management, a Miami-based merchant bank that is financial sponsor of Intuitive Machines, Inc., a Houston-based aerospace company (Nasdaq: LUNR), and USA Rare Earth, LLC, a Texas-based mining and magnet production company. Mr. Blitzer sits on the Board of Directors of Intuitive Machines. He is a graduate of Cornell University and Columbia Business School, where he has been an adjunct professor, and currently serves on the advisory board for the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing.
William Bucknall, GP '24, '26
Board member since 2021
Committee: Advancement
William Bucknall earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of New Haven. He was a Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from which he earned his master’s degree. He spent his business career at United Technologies rising to be Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organization. He was inducted into the National Academy of Human Resources. Bucknall served on the Board of Governors of the University of New Haven from 1992–2000 including as its chair from 1998–2000. He rejoined the board in 2006 and served as vice chair from 2012–2018 and chair again from 2018–2020. He received an honorary doctorate in Business Administration from the university and the university’s President’s Award.
David Durkin, P ’18, ’22, ’23
Board member since 2016
Committees: Advance Plan, Advancement, Athletics, Committee on Trustees, Executive (Chair), Equity and Inclusion, Finance, Head of School Evaluation, Investment
Durkin graduated from Stanford University and has an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. David is a former founding partner of Avista Capital Partners, a middle-market private equity firm based in New York City. He previously worked as a partner at DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and in investment banking at Donaldson Lufkin & Jenrette. Earlier in his career, he worked in public accounting and achieved the CPA designation. He also serves as a Corporator of the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA, and is the chairman of the Woodway Scholarship Fund. Durkin lives in Darien with his wife and their four children.
Catherine Foster Ellison ’00 P ’35, ’37
Board member since 2024
Committees: Equity and Inclusion
Catherine attended GFA from kindergarten through the 8th Grade and is the youngest sibling to two GFA lifers, Charlie '93 and Michie '96. Her father, Chuck, served as trustee for GFA from 1987-96. After graduating from the Hopkins School in ’01, Catherine attended Middlebury College where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art and Architectural Studies. She maintains close ties to Middlebury by serving as a member of the Middlebury Museum & Visual Arts Council.
Catherine has spent her career working in the art world and currently is Head of Business Development for Sotheby’s Americas where she has responsibility for the region's Valuations department, Fiduciary Client Group, Museum & Corporate Art Group, Collection Sales Management department, Restitution department, Client Strategy and Sotheby's Collectors Group. Catherine has been an active GFA alumna, attending school events and serving on reunion committees and panels and is excited to apply her experiences and lifelong love of GFA into service as a second-generation board member. Catherine is currently a class parent for the second grade and lives in Westport with her husband, Dave, and their three children.
Sanford “Sandy” Ewing, P ’20, ’23, ’26
Board member since 2021
Committee: Advancement
Sanford “Sandy” Ewing is a Managing Director in the marketing and investor relations area for Pemberton Asset Management, a European investment firm. Prior to Pemberton, he was Co-Head of Global Marketing at Cross Ocean Partners. He has also held various entrepreneurial roles in the cleantech and fintech space, including as CEO/CFO of Tellus Technology, a renewables company. Prior to this, Sandy was managing director, founder and principal of Chapdelaine Credit Partners, a diversified credit broker-dealer boutique in New York. From 1993 to 2008, Ewing worked in investment banking and credit sales at Lehman Brothers and Barclays. He has been an active member of the GFA Advisory Council and served as a captain for the GFA Annual Fund. He received his M.I.M. from Thunderbird, The American Graduate School of International Management and his B.S. from The University of California at Berkeley. Sandy lives in Darien with his wife Nicole and their three daughters.
Roger Ferris, P ’18, ’18, ’20, ’28
Board member since 2010
Committees: Building & Grounds, Executive, Faculty Housing
Roger is an architect and founding principal of Roger Ferris + Partners, where he directs the design and master planning work of the firm. He is a graduate and former Loeb Fellow in Advanced Environmental Design of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Ferris currently serves on the boards of the Centre Pompidou Foundation and the Watermill Center for the Performing Arts, where he is also a member of the executive committee. He resides in Weston with his wife Wendy and their four children.
Meade Fogel, P '27, '28. '28
Board member since 2020
Committees: Executive Committee, Committee on Trustees (Co-Chair), Building and Grounds
Meade Young Fogel is a graduate of The University of Virginia with a B.A. in Psychology, completed graduate coursework in nutrition at New York University, and is a Registered Dietitian. She is an active volunteer at GFA, and served as the co-president of the Lower School Parents Association for two years. A perennial class parent, Fogel also previously served as a member of the Advisory Council and a parent-teacher in the Learning to Look art history program. She currently lives with her husband David and three daughters in Fairfield.
Roopali Hall P '31, '33
Board member since 2022
Committees: Committee on Trustees, Equity and Inclusion, Horizons at GFA Board of Directors Liaison
Roopali Agarwal Hall is a graduate of Amherst College with a B.A. in economics and political science. Roopali spent seven years at Lehman Brothers in the investment banking division. Later, she pursued her passion for healthcare and sports and earned her doctorate in chiropractic medicine. She specializes in sports medicine and medical acupuncture, working with athletes of all calibers, from recreational to professional. At Amherst, Roopali was captain of both the women’s varsity tennis and varsity squash teams. Outside of her career, Roopali has been committed to supporting educational equity programs for low-income youth. While living in NYC, she volunteered with Urban Dove, a youth-development program geared towards reengaging students, helping them develop skills to stay on academic track, and plan for their future. Here in Fairfield County, Roopali works with Future Five, providing high school students in Stamford with coaching and programs that help them reach their academic and career goals. She currently serves on the Board of Horizons GFA. At GFA, she has also served on the Advisory Council, as a GFA Fund captain, and as a class parent. She lives in Stamford with her husband, Peter, and their two children.
Ward Horton, P ’24, ’28
Chair, Board of Trustees
Board member since 2015
Committees: Executive (Chair), Building & Grounds (Chair), Committee on Trustees, Marketing, Finance
Ward Horton has worked as an actor with studios and networks nationwide alongside some of the industry's leading directors. He earned his business degree from Wake Forest University and subsequently worked in finance at Smith Breeden Associates before focusing full -time on his acting career. He has been cast as leads in studio films, series regulars on network television and starred on Broadway. He can currently be seen in the HBO series The Gilded Age and a soon- to- be announced series for Netflix. Horton previously served on the GFA Advisory Council, and he and his wife, Alexa, live in Fairfield with their two children, Grace '24 and Will '28.
Sean Obi '13
Member since 2020
Committee: Equity and Inclusion
A 2013 graduate of Greens Farms Academy, Sean Obi earned his undergraduate degree from Duke University and a master's degree from the University of Maryland. He has been a regular volunteer with the GFA boys basketball program and served as a member of the GFA Advisory Council during the 2019–20 academic year. Obi is currently a District Sales Manager and Supply Chain Specialist for Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits Company, an importer and distributor of wine and spirits from around the world. The company is headquartered in Stamford.
Andy Papadakos, P ’26, ’30, ’37
Board member since 2023
Committees: Finance, Investment, Marketing
Andy is Partner and Chief Financial Officer at Atlas Holdings LLC, a private investment firm that specializes in acquiring and building manufacturing and distribution businesses with a focus on operational improvement and long-term value creation. Previously, he was Managing Director and CFO of Fund Finance at General Atlantic, and earlier in his career, he served as an Audit Manager at Deloitte. Andy is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and Columbia Business School, and he is also a Certified Public Accountant. He has been actively involved in the GFA community alongside his wife, Kristy, having served as a GFA Fund Captain, a member of the GFA Advisory Council (2020-2022), and as a supporter of Horizons at GFA. Andy resides in Southport with his wife and their three sons.
Amber Paquette P ’28, ’28, ’33
Board member since 2024
Committees: Buildings and Grounds
Amber Paquette, a Brown University alumna with a degree in biology and a four-year member of the Track and Field team, has built a multifaceted career that spans over a decade in healthcare, specializing in oncology, and later transitioning into education and community service. She has held leadership roles in nonprofit organizations, including serving as Executive Director of the Harold P. Freeman Patient Navigation Institute and Interim Executive Director of the City Kids Foundation. Amber’s move to California led her to teach K-2 physical education and coach high school track and field, further developing her leadership and project management skills. She serves on the boards of the Amanda Cullinan Foundation and the Mateo Family Foundation, and the advisory council for the college of Brown University. Amber is also an active volunteer in various community initiatives and has embraced her role as a GFA Fund captain and class parent at GFA. She resides in Darien, Connecticut, with her husband Tony and their family of six.
Dmitri Ponomarev P ’30, ’31
Board member since 2024
Committees: Advancement, Finance
Dmitri is the CEO of Wilton Re, a leading North American in-force life and annuity reinsurer. Prior to joining Wilton Re in 2015, he worked at Goldman Sachs in the Financial Institutions Group of Investment Banking, as well as Credit Risk Management and Rating Advisory. Dmitri received his bachelor’s from Cleveland State University and his MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Dmitri has served on the GFA Advisory Council. He and his wife, Yanina, are active members of the GFA community and supporters of Horizons GFA. They live in Westport with their three children.
Don San Jose, P '22, '25
Member since 2020
Committees: Executive Committee (Co-Vice Chair), Equity and Inclusion (Co-Chair), Finance, Building and Grounds
Don San Jose is a Managing Director at J.P. Morgan, where he serves as Chief Investment Officer of the U.S. Equity Value team within the firm’s Asset Management division. Since joining the firm in 2000, he has been active in recruiting, retention and mentoring initiatives, including serving as past head of the Diversity Council for JPM’s Investment Management Americas group and is an Executive Sponsor of the U.S. Equity Culture Committee. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Finance from the Wharton School. He is a past Vestry member of St. Luke’s Parish in Darien and also served on GFA’s Advisory Council. He and his wife Jenny live in Darien with their two children.
Melanie Smith, P '22, '24, '29
Board member since 2023
Committees: Buildings and Grounds, Equity and Inclusion
Melanie Dayani Smith graduated from Vanderbilt University with a B.A. in Modern European Studies and
received an A.A.S. from the New York School of Interior Design and a post graduate diploma from the Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London. She lived and worked abroad in London, England and Munich, Germany before moving to New York City to raise her family. Melanie values contributing to her community and educational institutions, having most recently served as a member of the GFA
Advisory Council, a Co-Chair of GFA Community Connection, a member of the development committee for GFA Horizons and a class parent. She also served on the Board of Trust at Vanderbilt as a Young Alumni Trustee, where she was selected to be a member of the Chancellor search committee. She lives in Westport with her husband and three children.
Page Roberts Tremaine '93, P '23, '26
Board member since 2023
Committees: Buildings and Grounds, Head of School Evaluation (Chair)
Page Roberts Tremaine is a graduate of GFA who went on to Skidmore College, where she received her bachelor of arts in psychology. After college, Page worked at BBDO Advertising agency in New York City and then at Running Times magazine in Wilton, CT. Page is a board member of the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, where she serves on the Learning Differences and Family Engagement Committees. She is also a board member of Horizons at Sacred Heart University. Page resides in Southport with her husband, Gean, and their three daughters.
Honorary Trustees
- Jill Birinyi, P '06, '09
- James P. Bradley, P '85, '88, '90, '90 '93
- Jonathan T. Dawson, P '91
- Anne J. C. Goldenheim, P '99, '00, '03, '06
- Shelley Goldsmith P '15, '17, '20
- Michael Greenberg, P ’19, ’21
- Stephen Lawrence, P '10, '20
- Edwin H. Morgens, P '97
- Michael Rintoul, '84, P '15, '17, '19
- Tricia Vanacore, P '13, '14, '16, '20
- Henry Von Kohorn, P '93, '96
Jill Birinyi, P '06, '09
Jill Birinyi, P '06, '09
Board member 2006–2013
Jill was an active participant in the GFA community while her daughters Natalie ('06) and Anna ('09) attended GFA from 1998 through 2009, and until she stepped down from the position of Co-Chair/Co-President of the Board of Trustees in 2013. She is a former member of the Builders Beyond Borders Board of Directors and is a former Charter Oak Foundation mentor. Jill has a B.S. in Education from the State University of New York at Oneonta and an M.B.A. in Finance from New York University Graduate School of Business Administration. Prior to becoming a full-time mother, Jill worked for several years in the investment field with positions at the New York City Comptroller's Office and Forstmann-Leff Associates. She lives in Southport with her husband, Laszlo.
James P. Bradley, P '85, '88, '90, '90 '93
James P. Bradley, P '85, '88, '90, '90 '93
Board member 1974–1996
Jim served on GFA's Board of Trustees from 1974 until 1996 in a variety of capacities: treasurer (1976-1980); vice chairman and treasurer (1980-1987); vice chairman (1987-1992); and board chair (1992-1996). In recognition of his longstanding service to GFA, Jim was honored with the Lucie B. Warren Award in 1996 and was named an Honorary Trustee in the fall of that year. Jim studied at the University of Bridgeport and St. John's University Law School. He is the former president of THP Group of Trumbull and former president of the Fairfield Dock Company. Two of Jim's children and three of his stepchildren attended GFA.
Jonathan T. Dawson, P '91
Jonathan T. Dawson, P '91
Board member 1983–1989 and 1997–2003
Jon, the managing member of Southport Management LLC in Wilson, Wyoming, is a graduate of Princeton University (A.B., 1966), Stanford University (M.B.A., 1968) and Fordham University (J.D., 1974). He has served on the boards of the Pequot Library, the New Hampshire Audubon Society, the Quebec Labrador Foundation, the Montana Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and the Deering Foundation. Jon is the co-founder of New Beginnings Family Academy, a K-8 charter school in Bridgeport. Jon’s daughter, Alexandra, graduated from GFA in 1991 and his son, Christopher, attended from 1980 to 1987.
Anne J. C. Goldenheim, P '99, '00, '03, '06
Anne J. C. Goldenheim, P '99, '00, '03, '06
Board member 1996–2006
Anne Goldenheim was a member of the Greens Farms Academy community for 13 years as a parent of four graduates (David ’99, Catherine ’00, William ’03, and Julia ’06). Anne was a long-term member of the board of Horizons at GFA and served on GFA’s Board of Trustees for 10 years (1996-2006), the last five years as Board Chair. She is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College (A.B. ’73), Harvard Graduate School of Education (Ed.M. ’74), and Columbia School of Library Service (M.S.’92), and enjoyed a career in educational testing for children and adults with learning and neurological issues. Anne now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with her husband, Paul.
Shelley Goldsmith P '15, '17, '20
Shelley Goldsmith P '15, '17, '20
Board Member 2013-2019
Shelley is the parent of three daughters, Campbell ’15, Lily ’17 and Marguerite '20. Shelley was a leader in the GFA community and Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2013–2019. She served on nearly every committee, including five years as Co-Chair of the Board, helping to guide GFA through the School’s largest capital campaign. She received her B.A. from the University of Vermont and her M.A. Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She taught at the Spence School earlier in her career and later as a lower school teacher at Princeton Day School. When Shelley and her family moved to Darien, Connecticut, she served on the Board of Trustees of Princeton Day School.
Michael Greenberg, P ’19, ’21
Michael Greenberg, P ’19, ’21
Board member 2011–2021
Committees: Advisory Council (Co-Chair), Committee on Trustees (Co-Chair), Educational Policy, Executive
Mike Greenberg is host of ESPN’s morning show Get Up! For 18 years, he co-hosted ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike with Mike Golic. Together, Greenberg and Golic have been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame. Greenberg is also a member of the Medill Hall of Achievement at Northwestern University. In addition, he has authored five books, all of which have made the New York Times Best Seller list. Greenberg and his wife, Stacy, donate all of their proceeds from his novel All You Could Ask For and their children’s book, MVP, to the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Stephen Lawrence, P '10, '20
Stephen Lawrence, P '10, '20
Board member 2007–2020
Steve is president of Investment Capital Partners, Ltd., a commercial real estate investment and management firm in Shelton. He is a graduate of Yale University (B.A. '65) and The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (M.B.A. '71). He retired from the United States Marine Corps as a captain in 1970. He and his wife Lisa serve on the board of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation, which focuses on awareness and treatment of primary immune deficiency diseases. Two of Steve's sons attended GFA in the 1980s, his stepson Michael graduated in 2010, his grandson Gregory graduated in 2019, and his son Owen graduated in 2020. Steve and his family live in Lordship.
Edwin H. Morgens, P '97
Edwin H. Morgens, P '97
Board member 1987–1999
Ned is the chairman of Morgens, Waterfall, Vintiadis and Company of New York. A graduate of Cornell University (B.A., 1963) and Harvard (M.B.A., 1967), Ned was a GFA Trustee from 1987 to 1999 and also served as vice chair of the board. He was named an Honorary Trustee in 1999. His volunteer activities include membership on several nonprofit boards. His daughter, Lauren, graduated from GFA in 1997.
Michael Rintoul, '84, P '15, '17, '19
Michael Rintoul, '84, P '15, '17, '19
Board Member 2013-2020
Mike is the Head of Investment Banking, Americas at Nomura Securities. Mike is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Mike’s great grandmother, Mary Bolton, founded The Bolton School, the predecessor to GFA, in 1925. His three daughters have all attended GFA, representing his family’s fourth successive generation to have done so. Mike has been a member of the GFA Alumni Council and a member of Vanderbilt's Alumni Association Board. Mike and his wife Lisa reside in Darien.
Tricia Vanacore, P '13, '14, '16, '20
Tricia Vanacore, P '13, '14, '16, '20
Board member 2007–18
Tricia was a leader in the GFA community and Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2013–2018. Her four children, Reed '20, Avery '16, Cole '14 and Caroline '13 graduated from GFA. Tricia graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Economics. She worked for 10 years in sales and marketing management for high-tech firms. She serves as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for The Children's School, where she also co-chaired its capital campaign; additionally, she is an executive committee member for the Board of Trustees for The Island School/Cape Eleuthera Institute in the Bahamas, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the Adam J. Lewis Academy in Bridgeport, CT. Tricia lives in Darien with her husband, Mark, and their children.
Henry Von Kohorn, P '93, '96
Henry Von Kohorn, P '93, '96
Board member 1985–1992, 1996–2001, and 2003–2009; Board Chair 1996–2001
Henry graduated from Princeton University (AB, 1966), received an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School (1968), and served for three years as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Now retired, Henry spent his career in the field of real estate investment. A former GFA board chair, Henry was the founder of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations, a program sponsored by Princeton University, which since 2004 has recognized high school age students who have made a difference in furthering the cause of race relations in their schools or communities. He is also a past President of the Alumni Association of Princeton University. Henry's children, Isabelle and Emily, attended GFA for 13 years each, graduating in 1993 and 1996, respectively. Emily is a current GFA trustee. After 38 years in Westport, Henry and his wife Meredith have lived in Princeton, New Jersey, since 2011.