Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

After graduating from Pine Crest, Jocelyn Absher ’11, better known as Joy, attended Florida State University where she began studying international affairs. “About halfway through my degree program, I decided to also work toward a business degree,” said Joy. “I was able to earn both degrees in four and a half years, which was quite a feat!”

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

John and Molly Chalmers ’62 met and fell in love during their senior year at Pine Crest School. 

Pine Crest’s Class of 1981 held their junior prom at The Breakers in Palm Beach. Pam (McNierney) Rauch recalls it being a first for the school and her first glimpse into Palm Beach County. 

By: Adam Shiff ’24

Ilana Wolpert ’11 joined Pine Crest School as a fifth grade student. A former runner, Ilana has fond memories of early morning practices, riding the bus with her three best friends (of 20 years now), circle pizza and rolling cheese in the dining hall, and the first time she was told that she could be a writer. 


After graduating from Pine Crest, Ilana earned her undergraduate degree in English and theater studies at Duke University. “I focused on Shakespeare studies,” said Ilana, “and during my senior year, I took a screenwriting class. That is where things clicked for me—I knew that was what I wanted to do.” 

Ilana’s appreciation for Shakespeare and the classic literature genre began as a seventh grade student. “Ms. Brown, my seventh grade English teacher, was my favorite teacher at Pine Crest,” she said. “She really cared about her students and discovering their strengths. She was the one who really encouraged me and told me I was a writer. That was the first time it sparked anything for me—I was always interested in writing, but no one really told me anything about myself until Ms. Brown did. That was special, and I feel that year was the year that I also became really infatuated with looking at books in a different way and thinking about them and really embracing them.”

“I had always been very into Shakespeare,” said Ilana. “His work always resonated with me. Some of my favorite teen movies are inspired by Shakespeare, like the romantic comedy ‘Ten Things I Hate About You.’” 

“‘Much Ado About Nothing’ is my favorite Shakespearean piece, and I kept coming back to it at school, even throughout my studies in college,” Ilana continued. “I believe this is the original ‘enemies to lovers’ romantic comedy. There is so much farce, great humor, and so many great characters. It's about family and friendship, but also a battle of wits and genders. It's really a wonderful play. I always felt it would make an amazing movie.” 

Ilana recalled being overcome with a special feeling during her senior year at Pine Crest when she wrote for Spring Scenes, a student-produced, off-campus performance. “When I wrote my scene for that, it was the first moment I thought ‘oh this feels really good, and this is really fun, and I love this experience.’ It was very affirming—I just wasn’t sure what the path was to becoming a professional writer, and a lot of it I had to figure out by just going for it.”

As Ilana explained further, “I always had an inclination that writing could be in my future, but I was not sure in what capacity.” With the help and encouragement from her best friend, Ilana moved to Los Angeles without a job but with the dream to write for TV and film. “I got very lucky and landed a job within a few weeks of moving there as an assistant,” she said. “I have been here for eight and half years now.”


Though she secured a job, success in the industry did not come overnight. Ilana worked as an assistant for four and a half years. Over the summer of 2019, she sold a show and subsequently got hired for her first writers’ room as a full-time writer. “For me, my first big break was getting an initial meeting with a production company who knew me as a writer and not just as an assistant,” she said. “It was then that the screenwriting for the movie evolved.”

“The movie” she referred to is “Anyone But You,” based on the idea Ilana had long carried with her of an adaptation of “Much Ado About Nothing.” 

Combining her love of the classics with her literary creativity, Ilana explained the direction and approach behind the story that evolved into the major motion picture, “I wanted to transport audiences back to the ’90s and early 2000s, immersing them in something that felt good and timeless. I wanted it to be classic while still feeling fresh and modern. But we were very intentional about not time-stamping the movie in 2023. You don't see technology, you don't see Instagram, and not many iPhones; it's very centered on people being present in a moment in time.”



Actors Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney are the star duo teaming up for Ilana’s big screen movie debut. Sweeney was the first to be cast. “We wanted to find the right female lead for this because it is based on Shakespeare, and she was very excited about the part,” Ilana said. “One day, Sweeney called and said ‘What about Glen Powell for the lead role?’ and we all loved the idea. Once the two of them were on board it was very easy to get a director attached and sell it to the studio. It seemed like all of a sudden, we were off to the races—starting pre-production, and people were moving to Australia. It was like ‘oh my God—we're making a movie!’”

Though the movie debuted recently, in December 2023, Ilana is already moving onto future projects. While in Los Angeles, she has also been credited as a writer for the CW show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” and “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” on Disney+. Judging from her work, her future projects are sure to bring Ilana great success! 

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Christie Raleigh Crossley ’05 has dreamed of being an Olympic swimmer for as long as she can remember. In fact, swimming at Pine Crest under Coach Jay Fitzgerald was a big part of making that dream a reality. “He was a phenomenal coach,” said Christie. “He helped me learn to be humble, and he coached me through developing my own unique competitive edge.”  

By Adam Shiff ’24

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

By Sara Pearl Adler ’24

Pine Crest Upper School proudly welcomed U.S. Marine Corps Combat Engineer Officer Hannah Montague ’13 as the guest speaker on Veterans Day.

Hannah is a lifer, having spent 14 years at Pine Crest after joining the community as a pre-kindergarten student. As an Upper School student, she was an athlete competing on the cross country and track teams and was a member of the three-year science research program. She was also heavily involved in community service work, earning her an Honorable Mention in the Miami Herald Silver Knight Awards in 2013. After graduation, she matriculated at Wake Forest University, declaring a major in biology and a minor in Russian language.

Emilio San Martin ’83 is an Emmy-nominated finishing editor who has been working in the film and television industry for more than 25 years. He has served in several roles in the industry, including editor, producer, writer, and voice-over actor. 

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

“I always told my parents I wanted to be a doctor,” said Dr. Paige Finkelstein ’10. “I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember.” 

The challenges of 2020 provided millions of people worldwide with the opportunity to take a fresh look at how the world worked. This was the case for Pine Crest School alumnus Kobi Kassal ’15, who was living and working in Boston at the time. 

A singer, song-writer, piano and guitar player, Jeremy Berkun ’22 says he was always drawn to music. As he approaches college in the fall, music has become more than a hobby. His passion to create and perform have served as a conduit for connecting with others.

It is no exaggeration to say that Shaurnav Ghosh ’22 is a global citizen. 

When you think of the type of student to graduate from Pine Crest School, the word “dynamic” comes to mind. A Pine Crest student is well-rounded, enthusiastic about learning, and a true scholar. As a yearbook editor, musician, athlete, and polyglot, Emma Gómez ’22 is someone who embodies all of those qualities, and more.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

A student at Pine Crest School since first grade, Ella Taub ’22 follows in the footsteps of her father and fellow Pine Crest alumnus David Taub ’91.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Mara (Aronson) Geronemus ’95 and Lisa (Dean-Kluger) Jerles ’97 did not know each other during their Pine Crest School days. 

A graduate from Pine Crest’s Class of 1988, Paul Keung did not expect to find himself living and working in Hong Kong.

Growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Paul spent a majority of his time as a teenager working in his family’s restaurants. While that took up most of his time outside of school, Paul has fond memories of his time playing football.

“I was not very good, but it was my escape,” said Paul. “I had a variety of friends who I spent time with when I wasn’t working. I was safe, and I had a school community that supported me despite my unusual upbringing.”

Paul says he had many wonderful teachers at Pine Crest, but Mrs. Marcia Hunt ’12H, had the greatest impact on his career path.

“My parents made it very clear that I was to attend either an Ivy League school and pursue a career as a doctor or lawyer, or attend a state school and return home to run the family restaurants,” said Paul. “Mrs. Hunt encouraged me to apply to Cornell and highlighted the Hotel School program. I applied to Cornell’s Arts and Sciences program and attended pre-med classes my freshman year. What Mrs. Hunt told me stuck with me and I transferred to Cornell’s Hotel program the following year. I had no interest in working in hotels or restaurants, however, the program was a lot more interesting than economics, and they had a wine and cooking class — free food and drink!”

Starting his career as a valuation consultant for hotels, Paul traveled to properties across the country.

“I loved the travel,” said Paul, “although as a fresh graduate, I was often assigned to due diligence hotels in places that more senior colleagues would prefer not to go. During that time, one of my early clients was an investment bank, and that connection introduced me to a 16-year career on Wall Street.”

Following the crash of the dot-com boom in 2000, Paul transitioned to cover the internet travel sector.

“I jumped at the opportunity,” he said. “I met Priceline and Expedia that year when these companies were trading for just a few dollars. In 2002, I started to look at ecommerce and covered Amazon and Ebay. Shortly after that, I started traveling to China to visit Chinese internet companies.”

“I have met many incredibly talented entrepreneurs in my career,” he continued. “I love learning new things, and I find new technologies fascinating. The icing on the cake is when you have a real conversation with someone who has a vision to change our lives for the better with innovation.”

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Spending her senior year at Pine Crest, Jill Cressy ’91 has fond memories of her time diving and pursuing her studies.

When Jonathan Williams ’21 first arrived on Pine Crest’s Fort Lauderdale campus in the ninth grade, his classmates and teachers quickly realized that they had a superstar among them. 

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

A dual sport student-athlete, Jonathan Valdes ’21 used his final year as a Pine Crest Upper School student to move into leadership positions. 

A musician since the fourth grade, Connor Norris ’21 says his love for music started with his dad.

Daniela “Dani” Tejada ’21 has been an engaged leader in the Pine Crest community since starting on the Fort Lauderdale campus in seventh grade. 

As the grandson of an Armenian immigrant, Alexander Edep ’17 has drawn on his family’s painful history as a source of education and strength in his work as a filmmaker. 

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

Michele (McNichol) Stocker ’83 has been a valued member of the Pine Crest School community for more than 40 years, most recently as the Chair of the Board of Trustees. 

Recent college graduates, college roommates at New York University (NYU), and friends since their sophomore year of Upper School, Jonathan Farchi-Segal ’16 and Mateo Pugliese-Bassi ’16 knew that the corporate world was not for them.

It took incredible tenacity and dedication to turn Lance Oppenheim’s passion for filmmaking into a career. 

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

 Professional Achievements:

At the end of October, Pine Crest School hosted our first Panther Giving Week. The week was an opportunity for our community to support our School and have their new and increased gifts matched.

“I frequently thank my parents for sending me to Pine Crest. Pine Crest got me where I am today — I have a STEM career without a STEM background. Pine Crest gave me the foundation to do anything.”

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

 Professional Achievements:

By: Nina Hamuy ’21

Rhea Jain ’20 has made a name for herself in Boca Raton as an entrepreneur and founder of Renoosh, a high-end clothing line for petite women. Rhea launched her business when she was a freshman in Upper School.

Once a Panther, always a Panther. Stay connected with each other, and your Pine Crest family by sharing your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between.

 Professional Achievements:

By: Grace Pettee ’20