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Alumnae Association Mission Statement
The mission of the Spence School Alumnae Association is to foster opportunities for all alumnae to maintain an active relationship with the School and to provide an inclusive environment in which to do so.
In line with Spence's values of equity and belonging, the Alumnae Association aims to provide an array of offerings encouraging alumnae to engage and connect in a meaningful way across class years. This includes opportunities for alumnae to give back to the School community and to current students. Reflecting and honoring our School motto, the Spence School Alumnae Association works to support the lifelong learning and development of each alumna.
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DANA WALLACH JONES ‘93, ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT
“My position as Alumnae Association President allows me the distinct privilege of working with a diverse group of dedicated alumnae volunteers across the globe who uphold Spence’s mission through engaging initiatives that maintain our connection to the school. I am continually in awe of the dynamic group of women who are connected through the shared experience of time spent behind the Red Doors. As evidenced by outstanding alumnae participation in Spence’s Annual Fund and in inspiring and thought-provoking programming, the Alumnae Association fosters a continuing and meaningful point of connection for all alumnae.”
41%
Alumnae Participation
in the 2022-2023 Annual Fund
in the 2022-2023 Annual Fund
439
Active alumnae volunteers ranging from the classes of 1947-2023
621
indiSPENCEable ALUMNAE
who have given to the Annual Fund for 10 or more consecutive years
who have given to the Annual Fund for 10 or more consecutive years
8
Alumnae Trustees
Get Involved
If you are interested in becoming involved with the activities of the Alumnae Association, contact Shelley Pyers (spyers@spenceschool.org), Alumnae Director, or Kiran Melwani (kmelwani@spenceschool.org), Assistant Alumnae Director, in the Development Office.
Thank you.
Thank you.
List of 6 items.
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Alumnae Board of Directors 2024–2025
President: Dana Wallach Jones ‘93
Vice President: Brooke Williams ’84
Secretary: Stephanie Cabrera Esenwa ’97
Alumnae Outreach Chairs:- Denise Burrell-Stinson ’91
- Tory Jennings Diamond ’97
- Courtney Fleischman Tofsky ’04
- Morgan Kang ’16
Annual Fund Chairs:- Allyson Mitchell Waterman ‘85
- Alix McCown ‘96
- Samantha Warshauer Heffner ’98
- Emily Washkowitz Tarkan ’04
Diversity Chairs:- Degan Mercado Leopold ’99
- Marian Lewin ’08
- Greer Bizzell-Hatcher ’17
Planned Giving Chairs:- Susan Ainsworth ’83
- Christine Lorenzo ’94
- Antonia Abraham ’99
- Allison Lehrer Chiaramonte ’01
Nominating Chairs:- Lauren Kleinberg Levy ’93
- Hannah Bozian ’09
Reunion Chairs:- Yodon Thonden ‘85
- Emily Pitts ‘15
Directors:- Elena Droutzkoy Corso ’68
- Mercedes Dorson ’70
- Lorie Cowen Levy ’70
- Lisa Partin Eiland ’87
- Yvonne Woods ‘84
- Dede Welles ’88
- Catherine Yatrakis Economakis ’90
- Irene Edwards ‘92
- Caroline Grant ’93
- Tracey Strauss ’93
- Marinieves Alba ‘94
- Heather Cross Berger ’95
- Alexandra McCown ’96
- Kristin Ogdon ’96
- Nadine Hertzog ’97
- Pratima Narayan ’98
- Suzie Lamm Roberts ’98
- Diane Kwon ’03
- Sarah Kushner ’05
- Jessica Shanken Reid ’05
- Caroline Scheinfeld Leventhal ’06
- Kim Ross ’07
- Emma Scully ’08
- Lizzie Cutler ‘09
- Katie Bommarito ‘11
- Julia Dean ‘11
- Grace Lindsey ’11
- Elizabeth Sullivan ‘14
- Katherine Aitkenhead ’15
Life Directors:- Barbara Pollock Youngman ’59
- Lucy Cullman Danziger ’61
- Nancy Steeger Jennings ’63
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Class Representatives
Representative by YearClass Representatives are an important link between the school and its alumnae. Communication between alumnae helps strengthen bonds and a connection to the past and the future. Encouraging participation in the Annual Fund shows belief in our motto to educate students not just for school, but for life.
Class Reps, listed below, are responsible for collecting Class Notes and/or asking for contributions to the Annual Fund from their classmates.
If your class is not listed, we are looking to fill the Class Rep roles. Please contact Shelley Pyers at spyers@spenceschool.org or Kiran Melwani at kmelwani@spenceschool.org if you are interested in a position. Thank you.
Annual Fund Class Representatives collaborate with the Alumnae Relations and Annual Fund Directors, other members of the Development Office and the Alumnae Association.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:- Will contact classmates to help gather class notes, encouraging them to submit them via our Web site or to you directly
- Will share your contact information in the Alumnae section of the School’s Web site and in the Class Notes section of the School’s annual Bulletin
- Will forward collected notes to the Alumnae Relations Office by deadlines to be determined
- Will send periodic updates to classmates regarding alumnae and school events
- Will encourage classmates to attend alumnae events especially during their Reunion years
- If in the NY area, will aim to attend the three main Alumnae Board & Class Rep meetings held each year (especially the meeting held in the fall)
News/Notes Class Representatives collaborate with the Alumnae Relations Office, other members of the Development Office and the Alumnae Association.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:- Will contact classmates to help gather class notes, encouraging them to submit them via our Web site or to you directly
- Will share your contact information in the Alumnae section of the School’s Web site and in the Class Notes section of the School’s annual Bulletin
- Will forward collected notes to the Alumnae Relations Office by deadlines to be determined
- Will send periodic updates to classmates regarding alumnae and school events
- Will encourage classmates to attend alumnae events especially during their Reunion years
- If in the NY area, will aim to attend the three main Alumnae Board & Class Rep meetings held each year (especially the meeting held in the fall)
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Outreach Committee
Co-Chairs:- Denise Burrell-Stinson ’91
- Tory Jennings Diamond ’97
- Courtney Fleischman Tofsky ’04
- Morgan Kang ’16
The mission of the Alumnae Outreach Committee is to develop, extend and maintain the ongoing relationship between alumnae and the School, reinforcing pride in Spence, and by doing so, thereby enhancing alumnae fundraising potential. The activities of this committee include the Annual Alumnae Party, the Young Alumnae Party and cultural and educational events throughout the year. If you have great ideas on how to involve more alumnae in our activities, this is the committee for you. -
Annual Fund Committee
Co-Chairs:- Allyson Mitchell Waterman ‘85
- Alix McCown ‘96
- Samantha Warshauer Heffner ‘98
- Emily Washkowitz Tarkan ’04
The goal of this Committee is to increase alumnae participation in the Spence Annual Fund. Members assist in soliciting fellow alumnae via letters, e-mails and through our phonathons held during the year. Committee members focus on fostering alumnae understanding of the School’s fiscal needs and stressing the importance of participation in the Annual Fund, no matter the amount. New volunteers are always welcome, so if you are interested in helping with Spence’s fundraising efforts, please let us know. -
Diversity Committee
Co-Chairs:- Degan Mercado Leopold ’99
- Marian Lewin ’08
- Greer Bizzell-Hatcher ’17
The focus of the Diversity Committee is to work with and for students and alums of diversity at Spence and support Spence’s commitment to diversity. The Committee sponsors events with students, parents and alums, providing an outlet for student support as well as networking opportunities. The Committee is also committed to continuing a relationship with Tapestry, the diversity committee of the Parents’ Association. Any interested alumnae are invited to join. -
Reunion Committee
Reunion 2025 welcomes all Spence alumnae, while celebrating in particular classes ending in “0” and “5.” Join us on April 24-26, 2025 for the festivities! If you are interested in helping, please contact Shelley Pyers (spyers@spenceschool.og), Alumnae Director, or Kiran Melwani (kmelwani@spenceschool.org), Assistant Alumnae Director.
To become a Class Representative or to get involved with any of these committees, please contact Shelley Pyers or Kiran Melwani in the Alumnae Relations Office.
About Our Motto
Not for SCHOOL but for LIFE we learn.
Non scholae sed vitae discimus
Non scholae sed vitae discimus
When Clara Spence adopted this quotation from Seneca as our motto, she deepened her call for young women to keep learning even if the doors of higher education were closed to them at the time. Today, our motto and mission represent the forever appetite for intellectual adventure and the capacity to chart one’s own path.
We salute the extraordinary Spence alumnae who continue to inspire our motto and mission and make a difference in the world.
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Dr. Nancy Hopkins ’60
Molecular biologist and Amgen, Inc. Professor of Biology emerita at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Dr. Nancy Hopkins ’60 is also the recipient of the esteemed National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Public Welfare Medal for her extensive work advocating for women in science. During her time at MIT — where she worked as a professor of biology in the Center for Cancer Research for 40 years — Hopkins brought national attention to obstacles facing women in the scientific workforce. -
Jill Furman ’86
Jill Furman ’86 produces groundbreaking commercial work that surprises audiences on Broadway and beyond. Jill has produced Suffs (Tony nomination), Freestyle Love Supreme (Special Tony Award), Hamilton (Tony Award), In the Heights (Tony Award), Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Heiress, Seminar, West Side Story, and more. She is also on the Board of the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, the Corporation of Brown University and the President’s Advisory Council for the Arts at Brown. In 2024, she was named to Forbes' fourth annual "50 Over 50" list. -
Alison Parish ’19
Alison Parish ’19 envisioned a future in medicine during her time at Spence. In Grade 7, she participated in the MedStart Enrichment program offered through Mount Sinai hospitals. Directly after graduating from Spence, Alison headed to Senegal for a year of service learning as part of Princeton’s Novogratz Bridge Year Program. Upon her return from Senegal, Alison focused her studies on Medical Anthropology. -
Amy C. Edmondson ’77
A scholar of leadership, teaming, and organizational learning, Amy C. Edmondson ’77 has written seven books and more than 75 articles and case studies. As Harvard Business School’s Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, she drives the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. -
Bear Douglas ’05
Bear Douglas ’05 is proof that Spence girls are in no way shy of technology, having risen into leadership roles in some of tech’s biggest names in her decade-and-a-half after Spence. After receiving her M.A. in Anthropology from Stanford University, Bear became a Developer Advocate, first at Facebook, and then at Twitter. She’s currently working as Director of Developer relations at Slack, a productivity platform with over 20 million active users. -
Jean Cottam Allen ’89
Jean Cottam Allen ’89 charted a path to the stars after her time at Spence. She received her Ph.D. in Physics and Astrophysics from Columbia and—after initially thinking she’d pursue teaching—rose to prominence as an Astrophysicist at NASA. She is now Deputy Division Director of the National Science Foundation, supporting research that combines electromagnetic waves, high-energy particles, and gravitational waves to “study matter, energy, and the cosmos in fundamentally new ways.” -
Maxine Burkett ’94
Maxine Burkett ’94 is an environmental lawyer, climate activist and advocate, and professor of climate law and ocean and coastal law. Maxine has served on numerous state and federal committees, was Expert Senior Advisor to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and was recently appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Fisheries and Polar Affairs, where she oversees the formulation and implementation of U.S. policy on a broad range of international issues. -
Naima Coster ’04
New York Times bestselling author Naima Coster ’04 has taught writing for over a decade and has written for numerous publications (including the New York Times, Elle, and Time). Her most recent novel, What’s Mine and Yours (2021), was named best book of the year by Kirkus, Amazon, Esquire, Marie Claire, Ms. Magazine, and more. She holds an M.A. in English and Creative Writing from Fordham and an M.F.A. in Fiction from Columbia. -
Zoë K. Hitzig ’11
Zoë K. Hitzig ’11 loves poetry and economics—so she’s doing both, each one fueled by the other. Her poetry helps her look at economic issues from a more artistic angle, and her poetry is fueled by a precision, inspired by the math that underlies her economic work. Her book of poems, Mezzanine, was published by HarperCollins in 2020. She’s currently an Economics Ph.D. candidate at Harvard University.
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Contact Us
Shelley Pyers
Alumnae Director
646-943-6869
spyers@spenceschool.org
Kiran Melwani
Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations
646-943-6850
kmelwani@spenceschool.org
Alumnae Director
646-943-6869
spyers@spenceschool.org
Kiran Melwani
Assistant Director of Alumnae Relations
646-943-6850
kmelwani@spenceschool.org
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A K-12 independent school in New York City, The Spence School prepares a diverse community of girls and young women for the demands of academic excellence and responsible citizenship.
212-289-5940
© 2025 Spence School
212-289-5940
© 2025 Spence School
