Alumni Spotlight

written into law as I write this. It was in this spirit that I first authored ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT the Annual Report of the USA, in 1995, which is a guide for American citizens Meredith Bagby, Class of ‘88 about where our tax dollars go and which attempts to explain some of the larger eredith entered Palm Beach Day I was hooked. I remember watching his economic trends we face as a nation. The in Second Grade in 1981 and debates with Carter – even at that early age book was published for four consecutive graduated with her Ninth Grade --and arguing with my grandmother who years. I will be writing another edition this Mclass in 1988. She is a teacher, and author was an old-fashioned southern Democrat. year. of six published works which include As a math fan, in college I majored in Through the report, I was able to become We’ve Got Issues: A Young Adult Political economics and decided to marry that study an advocate for government responsibility Guide and The Annual Report of the USA, a to my love for politics. It was the era of in spending, working as a commentator widely acclaimed book that analyzes the big deficits and worry about American for CNN, authoring two other books on U.S. budget. Meredith is regarded as an competitiveness abroad. I became generational politics and working on the expert on trends among the youth. She has interested in how we as Americans could President’s Commission to Strengthen testified from a youth perspective before Social Security as well as testifying at the members of the U.S. Congress, including National Bipartisan Commission on the the Senate Finance Committee, the Future of Medicare. Bipartisan Commission on Medicare, and the President’s Committee to Strengthen Why should young people be involved with Social Security on economic issues facing political issues? Americans. She lives in California. Young adults today should have a great What are some of your fondest memories of deal of hope in the political system. It was Palm Beach Day? the youth vote that helped Barack Obama win the primary, as well as the general Mr. Greco vociferating, word-for-word, election. There is a new generation rising Julius Caesar, making 7th graders “get” to the highest echelons of government. Shakespeare. Mr. Skinner leading us in While we have crisis in our country – on his Latin jingles “…when conjugating almost every level – we also have an verbs, declining nouns --and picking unusual opportunity to be heard. Simply, daisies– you gotta first get hold of the old ways, the established institutions the stem!” Mr. Butler using the phrase better understand our economic situation, have collapsed and it is time to make some “pussy-foot around the sticky wickets” on a broad level, so that we could do new magic in this dusty world, as Thomas -- in describing what his favorite historical something to make our future more stable Wolfe might say. figure Napoleon, did not do. Mr. Bayless and friendlier to real growth. Right now, I am trying to get young bounding over his podium --always people interested in politics through balanced precariously on its edge— You’re the author of six publications, including founding a “guerilla civics” program punctuating Kubla Khan, with his big The Annual Report. Tell us what motivated you for high-schoolers. We teach them about hand. to write this report? current political issues and then get them Overhead projectors commanded by As a student in the mid-90s who studied up on their feet debating. By the way, I still Mrs. Close and Mrs. Bayless. Lines of blue economics, I was made to be worried. It use my notes from Mr. Greco’s speaking and red ink leading to solutions and then was a time when our professors warned course! disappearing on the purple palms of their of deficit spending, over-indulgence and Looking back over your years at PBD, what do hands. Pink uniforms with the maroon rampant consumerism. you think were the most valuable aspects of our trim. Penny loafers. Our names in black Many of these warnings, sadly, have come school? ink on gymnasium dresses over white to pass in recent months. Today, America PBDS gave me many gifts – in some bloomers, from another era. A crisp blue faces, perhaps, its greatest economic ways too many to count – from a great blazer with the emblem of a yellow palm crisis. What is deeply unfortunate is that foundation in math, writing and reading tree. we could see much of this economic to teaching me to be a physically fit adult tragedy coming decades ago. Some had through the every-day-sports program. But After leaving PBD what schools did you attend the foresight. But our republic requires above all – and specifically for me – PBDS to continue your education? more than that. Reform in America usually gave me an opportunity to learn writing in I went to a local public high school – Palm comes as a tide and not a trickle. an intensive way. I remember the weekly Beach Lakes. And then went to Harvard In this way, I am focusing my career essays that Mr. Greco required of us. Mr. College and Columbia Law School. on translating complex financial and Greco took the time to sit with each of us demographic trends into easily digestible individually as he read our essays aloud. When did you realize you were interested in information for the average person. I want It could be a harrowing moment for a finance and politics? to help explain some of the more complex kid, as he sat with his big red pen poised I have always been fascinated by politics, issues we face as a nation--consumption to strike out a split infinitive, a wrongly largely because it was the dinner topic of versus savings, the role of our education used pronoun, a sentence ending in a choice in my family. When I was seven, I system in the new economy, the coming preposition-- or worse – a fragment. But it met Ronald Reagan and was bowled over reformation of our entitlement programs was an absolutely invaluable experience. by the majestic grandfather-figure. Shortly (Social Security and Medicare) or the (Fragment) And you learn right then and thereafter he began his presidential bid and regulations of financial markets being there – words are everything. March / April 2009 9 A LUMNI NOTES ‘77 Lisbeth Barron has joined as partner years. She and her husband Skip have and three rounds of competition. ZocDoc at Centerview Partners, an investment been married for two years, and they is an online free banking advisory practice and private enjoy scuba diving, traveling, watching service to book equity business movies. doctor and dental based in New appointments York. Lisabeth has After graduating from Garrison Forest instantly. It serves an MBA degree (1987) and Hobart and William Smith 60,000 patients from Harvard Colleges (1991) with a BA in English, per month in Business School Suzanne Strasser worked for MTV Manhattan and and a BBA in Networks and Conde Nast in New Brooklyn and offers international York. She is currently working as the an average of 4,000 business and West Coast head of sales for Google TV, appointments finance from a new product launched by Google in per day. Cyrus Cyrus Massoumi Florida Atlantic 2007. She has lived in LA since 2004. graduated from University. Lisbeth Barron Suzanne is in contact with Alana Henry Wharton School of Previously she was ‘85 and Merrilee Holt ‘84, who also live Business at the University of Pennsylvania a partner at Bear Sterns and headed up its in LA. Thanks to Facebook, Suzanne has and completed his MBA at Columbia corporate finance practice for clients in the reconnected with many classmates. She University. He lives in New York City. entertainment industry. Prior to that, she would love to hear from others. You can was head of the media and entertainment reach her at [email protected]. ‘95 corporate finance team at SBC Warburg for Stefanie and Andrew Cove (‘99) celebrated North America and Latin America. ‘81 their grandfather’s eightieth birthday Lisabeth will be involved in expanding the The marriage of Sally de Marcellus and on January 11, firm’s Media and Entertainment advisory Olivier de Sury took place on Saturday, in Melbourne, practice. August 9, 2008, at Holy Comforter-St. Australia, with Cyprian Church in Washington, D.C. Her their parent’s ‘88 sister, Mary Le Gouellec ‘88, was the Rosemary and Carter Dillard is teaching law at Loyola matron of honor. Sally lives in Paris and Harvey Cove University in New Orleans, LA. He also has works for the Organization for Economic ‘61. Rosemary a research fellowship with the Optimum Cooperation and Development in Paris. is our PBDA Population Trust, in Manchester, UK. Development ‘85 Director, and ‘84 Adam Lynn is a rabbi at the University Harvey a former Mary Ullman Maupai was unable to of Pennsylvania Hillel. His wife Ruthi, PBDA trustee. attend the Wine and Cheese in November teaches parenting classes in Philadelphia. Stefanie is a sales but she wanted to express her thanks and They have five children ranging from Andrew & Stephanie Cove catering manager memories to Mr. Greco, Mrs. Close, and 9 years – 14 months. They spend their at The Little Nell Mrs. Mendoza: summers in Israel, and each year Adam in Aspen, CO and Andrew is a computer To Mr. Greco, she writes that her English travels with students to South Africa, programmer for Naughty Dog, a Sony writing skills paid off immensely as a Poland, Prague, & Israel to expose them company, in Santa Monica, CA.

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