--- title: Alumni Class Notes - December 2019 description: Notes from Pine Crest School alumni about professional achievements, on-campus engagement, and more! image: https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_0154.jpg --- [ pine crest school ](https://www.pinecrest.edu/) [#PCFutureReady](https://www.pinecrest.edu/media?SearchExpression=#PCFutureReady) Fort Lauderdale Campus 1501 NE 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 [(954) 492-4100](tel:9544924100) Boca Raton Campus 2700 St. Andrews Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33434 [(561) 852-2800](tel:5618522800) - [inquire](https://www.pinecrest.edu/inquire) - [apply](https://www.pinecrest.edu/apply) - [visit](https://www.pinecrest.edu/visit) # Alumni Class Notes - December 2019 Posted by [Pine Crest School](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/author/pine-crest-school) on November 26, 2019 at 3:24 PM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Once a Panther, always a Panther. [Stay connected](https://www.pinecrest.edu/alumni/share-news) with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.   ###  Professional Achievements: ![Natalie_Klar19](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Natalie_Klar19.jpg?width=250&name=Natalie_Klar19.jpg)[**Natalie Klar ’19**](https://www.emoryathletics.com/sports/wsoc/2019-20/AOW/Klar93019)  was named Emory Athletics' Athlete of the Week.              ![Jayne-atkinson](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Jayne-atkinson.jpg?width=300&name=Jayne-atkinson.jpg)Actress [**Jayne Atkinson ****’77**](https://www.tvovermind.com/jayne-atkinson/) was featured in TV Over Mind.       ![Owens](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Owens.jpeg?width=300&name=Owens.jpeg)[**Jabari Owens** **’19 **](https://news.uchicago.edu/story/class-2023-embarks-its-intellectual-journey)is featured by the University of Chicago among five of his peers in the Class of 2023.** ** ![Heather Hill 87](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Heather%20Hill.jpg?width=300&name=Heather%20Hill.jpg)**Heather (Hill) Foster ’87** started a new job as the Associate Director of Development at Sun Valley Community School, a pre-kindergarten through grade 12 boarding school in the heart of Sun Valley, Idaho.            ![Sapri Karli](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Sapri%20Karli.jpeg?width=300&name=Sapri%20Karli.jpeg)[**Dr. Sapir Karli** **’07 **](https://www.myeyesurgeons.com/our-doctors/sapir-karli-m-d/)has joined the Eye Surgeons and Consultants team in Hollywood, Florida.             ![Autumn Clark 16](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Autumn%20Clark%2016.jpg?width=300&name=Autumn%20Clark%2016.jpg)[**Autumn Clark ’16**](https://wagnerathletics.com/news/2019/11/7/womens-soccer-clark-donnelly-named-second-team-all-northeast-conference.aspx) was selected to the All Northeast Conference (NEC) Second Team. Autumn and her teammate, Mya Donnelly, are the first Wagner womens' soccer athletes to be recognized by the NEC since 2015.              ![Ally Findeiss12](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Ally%20Findeiss12.jpeg?width=300&name=Ally%20Findeiss12.jpeg)Allison Findeiss **’**10 was interviewed by [Money Matters Top Tips Podcast with Adam Torres](https://anchor.fm/moneymatters/episodes/Allison-B--Findeiss-Founder-and-Creative-Marketing-Consultant-at-Ally-Bee-Design-e5aab3) recently. She spoke about the journey to launching her business, [Ally Bee Design](http://allybeedesign.com/).          ![Carl Case 11](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Carl%20Case%2011.jpg?width=300&name=Carl%20Case%2011.jpg)Carl Case **’**11, the Senior Director of Sales at [GRUBBRR ](https://grubbrr.com/)was a guest on the [Money Matters Top Tips Podcast with Adam Torres. ](https://anchor.fm/moneymatters/episodes/Carl-Case--Director-of-Sales-at-GRUBBRR-e8r7r8)       ![Lance Oppenheim](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_1420.jpg?width=300&name=IMG_1420.jpg)[Lance Oppenheim ](https://www.sundance.org/projects/some-kind-of-heaven)[**’**14](https://www.sundance.org/projects/some-kind-of-heaven) will have his film, "Some Kind of Heaven," premiere at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Lance directed and is a co-editor to the film, with his sister Melissa (Oppenheim) Lano **’**08 serving as one of the producers.      ### [![Brett Koolik capture](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Brett%20Koolik%20capture.jpg?width=300&name=Brett%20Koolik%20capture.jpg)](https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2019/12/18/music-takes-engineering-major-into-the-lab-and-across-the-country/) [Brett Koolik ’17](https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2019/12/18/music-takes-engineering-major-into-the-lab-and-across-the-country/) is working on a study that uses his passion for music to work with young children, some of whom are on the autism spectrum.[ Learn more here.](https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2019/12/18/music-takes-engineering-major-into-the-lab-and-across-the-country/)   ![Shelby Shenkman 10](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Shelby%20Shenkman%2010.jpg?width=300&name=Shelby%20Shenkman%2010.jpg)**Shelby Shenkman**** ’10** (Photo credit: Sam English) will be performing in Giselle as Giselle for the Louisville Ballet on Saturday, Feb 15, 2020.                    **![Gilbert photo](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Gilbert%20photo.jpg?width=300&name=Gilbert%20photo.jpg)**Danielle Gilbert ’04 spoke at Florida Atlantic University recently. In her presentation, "[The Problem of Political Kidnapping,](https://calendar.fau.edu/event/the_problem_of_political_kidnapping_with_danielle_gilbert#.Xite6WhKiUk)" she provided an overview of the empirical phenomenon of hostage taking, based on her research and policy engagement on the problem of political kidnapping. Danielle is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science and a fellow with the Institute for Security and Conflict Studies at the George Washington University.   ### Spotted: ![John Leech 56 Coin Toss](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_0115.jpeg?width=300&name=IMG_0115.jpeg)Alumnus and former Chair of The Board of Trustees **John Leech** **’56  **(center) performed the coin toss at the Panther football final home game. He is photographed with Jeff Johnson, Athletic Director (left), the team captains, and **Joseph Walters** **’95**, Upper School Head (right)**.  **John was inducted into Pine Crest's Hall of Fame in 1985 and was the team captain of the School's first football team.   ![Taylor Hamilton 99, Jesse Tomalty 99, and Avery Pack 96](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_0652.jpg?width=300&name=IMG_0652.jpg)**Taylor Hamilton** **’99, Jesse Tomalty ’99, and Avery Pack ’96 **spoke with the junior and senior classes in the ICI recently. They spoke to students about their roads to entrepreneurship.       ![Friends from the Class of 1988](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_0154.jpg?width=300&name=IMG_0154.jpg) Friends from the Class of 1988, **Debbie (Morningstar) Bernstein, ****Erica (Zeig) Chrissy, Tara (Monteleone) McGinn, Lee Pressley, All****ison (Smith) Iosia, Leslie Perez, Vivian (Schneider) Sklar, Holly (Hudson) Bodenweber, Charley (Buntrock) Zeches, Natalie Umbert, and ****Jodie (Thorz) Dawson** visiting Furthermore Wines,  Charley Zeches' winery in Sonoma, California. ![Izzy Turner 16, Natalie Klar 19, and Sophie Danielson 16](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_5903.jpg?width=300&name=IMG_5903.jpg) Former Pine Crest soccer players **Isabelle Turner ’16, Natalie Klar ’19 and Sophia Danielson ’16** met on the field as opponents recently.  Isabelle and Sophia play soccer for New York University (NYU), who traveled to compete against Emory University, where Natalie is a freshman starter. Emory won the match 3 - 0 where Natalie scored her ninth goal of the season and is the lead scorer for the Eagles.  Isabelle is NYU's team captain and is also having a terrific year, leading the Violets with 5 goals and 3 assists.         ![Katie Needle 08](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Katie%20Needle%2008.jpg?width=300&name=Katie%20Needle%2008.jpg) **Katie Needle** **’****08** will compete on Jeopardy on January 9, 2020.     ### Marriages: ![Ashley Hammond 12 wedding-1](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Ashley%20Hammond%2012%20wedding-1.jpeg?width=300&name=Ashley%20Hammond%2012%20wedding-1.jpeg)**Ashley Hammond** **’12 **wed Lewis Gray in a private ceremony on September 17, 2019 in Southampton, England.                    ![12 (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/12%20(1).jpg?width=317&name=12%20(1).jpg)** Heather (Hill)** **Foster ’87** married Jesse Foster on December 12, 2019, in "a true Idaho-style puffy wedding!" They are joined here by Heather's step sons, Conrad and Bryce.           ### Babies:   ![David 97 and Stacey Abeles with baby Naomi Emma](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/David%2097%20and%20Stacey%20Abeles%20with%20baby%20Naomi%20Emma.jpg?width=300&name=David%2097%20and%20Stacey%20Abeles%20with%20baby%20Naomi%20Emma.jpg)**David** **’97 **and wife Stacey Abeles welcomed their daughter Naomi Emma Abeles on January 6, 2020.                     ### In Memoriam: ![Kathy Spear](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/Kathy%20Spear.jpg?width=300&name=Kathy%20Spear.jpg)We are saddened to share that **Katherine Spear '77** passed away on January 17, 2020 in Randolph, Vermont.                 Topics: [News](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/news), [Alumni Newsletter](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni-newsletter), [Class Notes](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/class-notes), [Alumni](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni), [2019](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2019), [Pine Crest School](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/pine-crest-school) ### Subscribe Here! ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Tag - [Alumni Newsletter (83)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni-newsletter) - [Alumni (69)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni) - [2021 (18)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2021) - [Upper School (18)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/upper-school) - [2018 (16)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2018) - [2022 (12)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2022) - [2024 (12)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2024) - [Class Notes (11)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/class-notes) - [Pine Crest School (10)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/pine-crest-school) - [2019 (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2019) - [Entrepreneurship (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/entrepreneurship) - [News (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/news) - [Athletics (8)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/athletics) - [Fine Arts (8)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/fine-arts) - [Student Life (7)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/student-life) - [2020 (5)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2020) - [2023 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2023) - [2025 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2025) - [2026 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2026) - [Student Leadership (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/student-leadership) - [Digital Media Production (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/digital-media-production) - [Giving (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/giving) - [Science (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/science) - [Dance (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/dance) - [Faculty (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/faculty) - [Innovation (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/innovation) - [Music (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/music) - [Pine Crest Fund (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/pine-crest-fund) - [STEM (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/stem) - [COVID-19 (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/covid-19) - [Computer Science (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/computer-science) - [DEI (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/dei) - [Social and Emotional Learning (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/social-and-emotional-learning) [See all](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-dec-2019#) ## Start Your Future Today Imagine the possibilities @PineCrestSch - - - - - - - [my pine crest](https://pinecrest.myschoolapp.com/app#login) Lower School Grades PK - 5 Middle School Grades 6 - 8 Upper School Grades 9 - 12 Fort Lauderdale Campus 1501 NE 62nd Street Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 [(954) 492-4100](tel:9544924100) Boca Raton Campus 2700 St. Andrews Boulevard Boca Raton, Florida 33434 [(561) 852-2800](tel:5618522800) Imagine the possibilities @PineCrestSch - - - - - - - [Back to top ](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-dec-2019#top) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Pine Crest School", "url" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/author/pine-crest-school" }, "dateModified" : "2021-04-12T12:47:27.353Z", "datePublished" : "2019-11-26T20:24:47.000Z", "headline" : "Alumni Class Notes - December 2019", "image" : [ "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202019/IMG_0154.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-dec-2019", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/School%20Seal-Green-Gradient.jpg" }, "name" : "Pine Crest School" } } ```