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Alumni

Alumni Council

Alumni Council

The Alumni Council is the primary volunteer leadership group for alumni of The Webb Schools. We consist of 40 men and women, who represent seven decades and many regions worldwide. The Council’s goals are to connect alumni to Webb, Webb to the alumni body, and alumni with each other.
 
The Alumni Council meets four times a year to plan programs and activities which benefit the Webb community. These include:
 
  • Career Evening – alumni guest speakers share their career experiences with sophomores
  • Senior Dinner – annual event to welcome the newest class of alumni to our alumni family
  • Regional alumni events include cultural and sporting activities and networking opportunities
  • WebbWorks online alumni community for career assistance and mentoring
  • Affinity Groups for Women of Webb (alumnae networking), Webb15 (young alumni group for classes of the past 15 years), and Latinos of Webb.
  • Archival projects in support of our Centennial Celebration in 2022 and beyond. These include the Teachers of Webb Survey and the Oral History Video Project.
 
If you would like to contact the Alumni Council with a question or comment, please email alumni@webb.org or log in to the Online Community.

Alumni Council Members

List of 18 items.

  • Kathy Fredrich '02, President

    Kathy Fredrich ’02 graduated from the University of California at San Diego with a B.S. in animal physiology & neuroscience and a B.A. in psychology. She is the associate manager, global brand development & marketing at Hasbro and was previously in the pet industry for about a decade, working at Natural Balance Pet Foods. She has also been involved with the UC San Diego Alumni Los Angeles Regional Club since 2006 and has served as a past club president. While at Webb, Kathy was a dorm counselor at North Hutch and was active on the volleyball and basketball teams. Member since 2013.
  • David Ivey-Soto '82, Vice President

    David Ivey-Soto ’82 is the current National Treasurer and a former National Secretary of the American Culinary Federation serving on its Board of Directors. David Ivey-Soto earned his AOS from the Culinary Institute of America where he was on the Dean’s List, was the Student Council President, and was Sommelier de Vin. He was honored to be selected as a Fellow of the Culinary Institute of America where he worked with chefs Clark and Canner in the Fish Kitchen and with Mr. Schmitter in the American Bounty Dining Room. He has earned Certified Executive Chef (CEC®) and Certified Culinary Administration (CCA®) from the American Culinary Federation. In 2005 he earned an MBA from the College of William & Mary. David is very active in his Webb class; serving as a reunion chair, serving as a regional representative on the Alumni Council, and hosting events in D.C. Member since 2013.
  • Doug Gregg '66, Immediate Past President

    Doug Gregg ’66 is a longtime supporter of Webb and a past reunion chair. He has resided in Carlsbad since 1983. Doug was a deputy district attorney for the County of San Diego until his retirement in 2008 and was happily married to his wife, Christine, for 36 years until her passing. He attended USC for his undergrad and received his J.D. from California Western Law. At Webb, Doug was a member of the choir for four years (under the direction of Bill Blanchard ’51), and a member of the folk singing group, New Essex Three. He was also an active member of Block W, playing varsity tennis for three years, JV football and varsity football. Doug became president of the Alumni Council on July 1, 2017. Member since 2012. 
  • Jason Brooks '99

    Jason Brooks ’99  is the Founder of harkness.ai, which shows how individual interactions affect meeting dynamics and delivers feedback that prompts users to reflect on their participation habits. He has been a speaker at Sophomore Career Evening and now joins the Alumni Council. Previously, he was the head of Upper School at The Episcopal School of LA. While at Webb, Jason was involved in basketball, track and football. Jason has a long list of higher education degrees including degrees from Trinity University, Valparaiso University and Harvard University. Jason lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Christa. Member since 2022. 
  • Ariel Fan '10

    Ariel Fan ’10 is proud to have started her environmental advocacy career during her time at Webb as the founder of Project Earth on the Service Council — organizing beach cleanups, plastic bag recycling campaigns at the dining hall and advocating to ban Kleenex tissues on campus due to unsustainable foresting practices. Today, as the founder and CEO of GreenWealth Energy Partners, a turnkey developer of EV charging and LED lighting solutions, Ariel is helping government and real estate clients develop infrastructure to transition to the clean energy future. GreenWealth is proud to be the first woman and minority-owned energy company certified in the state of CA — advocating for diversity and equity in today’s new clean energy economy. Ariel received her degree in environmental policy, economics and art history from Barnard College of Columbia University. Member since 2020. 
  • Christine French '90

    Christine French ’90 is a research analyst at Grassroots Health, where she has co-authored several papers on the relationship of Vitamin D to several health conditions. Prior to that, she spent seven years at the UC Center for Water Resources working on agricultural water management. She has been a reunion chair many times and often attends regional events. She’s also been a speaker at Sophomore Career Evening. At Webb, Christine was a student counselor. Christine attended UC Santa Barbara and UC Riverside. Christine lives in Redlands with her husband, Ross. Member since 2022. 
  • Jim Hawkins '70

    Jim Hawkins ’70 is very engaged within his class, and he took a great interest in achieving the DEI match from the E.E. Ford Foundation. Jim has a long career in commercial real estate and is a senior associate at Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services, Inc. in Orange. Jim achieved his B.A. from USC and his M.S. from UC Davis.  He lives in Newport Beach with his wife, Betsy. Member since 2022. 
  • Stephanie Ho '04

    Stephanie Ho ’04 is Senior Vice President of Operations at Media Res Studio in Los Angeles, CA. Outside the office, Stephanie has been teaching for various Equinox clubs throughout the Los Angeles area since 2009. She helped open the company’s downtown LA location in 2013, and has hosted charity cycling classes in which Webb Alumni have attended. At Webb, Stephanie was very active in athletics at Webb, and holds records for VWS Track & Field. Since graduating, she has been a champion for fundraising among her class, she has been a reunion chair, a career evening speaker, and was the inaugural recipient of the Young Alumni Rising Star Award in 2014. Stephanie is coming back to the Alumni Council this year after serving two consecutive 3-year terms from 2016-2022. Member since 2016. 
  • Faye Karnavy Sahai '86

    Faye Karnavy Sahai ’86 has been a reunion chair for many of her reunions over the years, been a class agent and has often contributed content to the Daughters Strong Facebook group. Faye is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College and UCLA. While at Webb, Faye was in the VWS Chorus, Student Council, was a student counselor, and was co-editor in chief of El Espejo. Faye is the managing director of the Telosity Fund at Vinaj Ventures. The fund invests in early-stage companies with solutions to improve the mental health and well-being of young people. Faye lives in San Carlos with her husband, Avanish. Member since 2022. 
  • Sandeep Madhavan '99

    Sandeep Madhavan ’99 is a private wealth advisor for Ameriprise based in Newport Beach. He earned his B.S. from Babson College, with a concentration in finance and statistics. During his senior year, Sandeep began an internship with a franchise of American Express Financial Advisors, which led to starting his own practice in Boston. Since 2003, he has built a team that focuses on the needs of busy professionals and small business owners who are looking to make smarter decisions with their money and lives. Sandeep and his wife, Dana, moved back to the Los Angeles area in 2012. Their family, which includes children Maxwell, Wyatt and Everett, is actively involved in charities focused on the environmental and education. Member since 2021. 
  • Kunal Shah '97

    Kunal Shah ’97 is a founding partner at PBS Engineers in Glendora, California. He has been a volunteer for many years, serving as a reunion chair, class agent and a frequent guest speaker at Sophomore Career Evening. Kunal received his B.S. with honors from UC Irvine. He lives in Orange County with his wife and two children. Member since 2013. 
  • Bassil Madanat '04

    Bassil Madanat ’04 graduated from UC San Diego with a B.S. in Physiology & Neuroscience, and earned his J.D. from Pepperdine School of Law. A registered patent attorney, Bassil is the Founder and Principal Attorney at MAD IP, A Professional Law Corporation, where he handles a variety of commercial IP matters for start-ups and Fortune 500 companies alike. Before private practice, Bassil externed at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, worked in Legal Affairs at Fox Broadcasting Company and clerked for The White House Office of Science & Technology Policy under President Barack Obama. While at Webb, Bassil was Day Student Representative, co-headed Junior Fountain and was active in Varsity sports, including soccer, track & field, and cross-country. Member since 2023. 
     
  • Coleen Martinez '86

    Coleen Martinez returns as a Member at Large after previously serving from 2001-2022. During those 21 years, Coleen remained an active participant at various capacities in the Webb community, serving on the Women of Webb affinity group and was a constant fixture at alumni events in the area. She has also been a Class Agent for many years and returned to Webb in 2017 as the VWS commencement speaker. In 2019, Coleen also participated at the Alumnae Pioneers Panel and spoke about the early days of VWS and the challenges that the pioneer girls encountered. During her time at Webb, Coleen was an active member of the community, participating in Chapel Council, Honor Cabinet, drama, music, swimming, and peccary trips. Coleen received a B.A. in Spanish from Pitzer College and a M.A. in education from the Claremont Graduate University before pursuing her career as an elementary school teacher. She has been an elementary school teacher for 30 years and currently is a second-grade teacher at Foothill Country Day School in Claremont where she has been teaching for the last twenty years.
  • Jim Reese '67

    Jim Reese lives in Dana Point, CA.  He attended Duke University and earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Before retiring in 2019, he worked as a consulting engineer specializing in energy management and air emissions control in the commercial and industrial sectors.  His experience includes research and development of advanced emissions control technologies, use of alternative fuels for generation of electricity, and implementation of on-site electrical generation and energy conservation measures. He also assisted customers apply Lean Manufacturing and waste minimization to improve process efficiency, reduce energy use, and improve profitability.  During his time at Webb, Jim was active in sports, playing football, basketball, and baseball. For the past 16 years, he has interviewed high school seniors applying to Duke University for the Duke Admissions office.  
  • Juliana Romeo '17

    Juliana Romeo lives in Washington, D.C., and is an Account Manager in the Workforce Skills division at Pearson, the world’s leading learning company committed to creating vibrant and enriching learning experiences designed for real-life impact. Juliana continued her time in Claremont and attended Scripps College where she earned a B.A. in anthropology and media studies. During her time at Webb, she was an active leader on campus supporting new students as a peer counselor and helping build community for boarding students as a Chapel Council member. She also created a photography project titled "Humans of Webb" that highlighted the day-to-day experiences of Webb students. She is excited to join the Council and continue building and fostering the alumni community in DC and across the East Coast.
  • Nihar Shah '04

    Nihar Shah ’04 is a graduate of Columbia University and NYU School of Law. He is the founder of Santa Bella Investments, LLC, a specialty finance firm focusing on alternative energy. While a day student at Webb, Nihar was a member of the varsity football team and student government. Since graduating, Nihar has spoken at Sophomore Career Night and participated on the reunion committee. 
  • Eissa Villaseñor '98

    Eissa Villasenor ’98 is a refugee officer at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. She has served as a class agent and was the chapel speaker during Alumni Weekend in 2018. She often attends events in her area and has served as a mentor during networking mixers for the school. At Webb, Eissa was a member of the Latino Alliance and was vice president of VWS student government. Eissa earned her B.A. at Mount Holyoke College and her J.D. at the University of Minnesota. Eissa lives in La Quinta. Member since 2022. 
  • Jim Wetrich '75

    Jim Wetrich ’75 has been a class agent for many years and stays connected within his class. Jim is a graduate of USC, Tulane University and Emory University. Jim is the CEO of The Wetrich Group and provides executive outplacement, leadership development, coaching and executive search services to health care providers. He’s also a Board of Councilors member at The Carter Center and an adjunct professor of marketing at Texas Wesleyan University, among many other positions in the healthcare, biosciences and coaching industries. Jim lives in Southlake, Texas with his wife, Nancy. Member since 2022.

Alumni Council Regional Representatives

List of 14 items.

  • Kunal Shah ’97, Los Angeles (Orange County)

    Kunal Shah ’97 is a founding partner at PBS Engineers in Glendora, California. He has been a volunteer for many years, serving as a reunion chair, class agent and a frequent guest speaker at Sophomore Career Evening. Kunal received his B.S. with honors from UC Irvine. He lives in Orange County with his wife and two children. Member since 2013. 
  • Carly Paris '10, Los Angeles

    Carly Paris is an Investment Banker at Bank of America in Los Angeles. She earned an A.B. in economics from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at University of Michigan. Carly has remained active in the Webb community since graduation and served as the Regional Rep for New York from 2018 and 2023. She also assisted the Admission Office in 2017 at the Inspiring Young Minds Fair. During her time at Webb, Carly was recognized for serving as a member of the Honor Cabinet as well as her work as an Academic Outreach Tutor. She also played on the softball team and served as the president of the Black Student Union. Since she has now moved to LA, Carly is excited to rejoin the Council as a Regional Rep for Los Angeles.
  • Whitney Wharton '05, San Diego

    Whitney Wharton ’05 received her B.A. in psychology from Georgetown University. She was formerly an assistant managing clerk for the law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP in Washington, D.C. Whitney and her husband relocated to Southern California in July 2013, and she started work as a project Eengineer with Dickinson Cameron Construction Co. in Carlsbad. She runs her own business, Agaves of California, and is co-chair of the Alumni Council’s Women of Webb Affinity group. Whitney became vice president of the Alumni Council on July 1, 2017. Member since 2013. 
  • Will Habos '04, San Francisco

    Will Habos ’04 recently completed his MBA at Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he worked in the investment banking field for Canaccord Genuity. He has a B.S. in finance and accounting from New York University’s Stern School of Business. Member since 2014. 
  • Jessica Dholakia '07, San Francisco

    Jessica Dholakia ’07 is a senior manager at Taulia, Inc., a financial supply chain company that works with global brands. She has a B.A. in international relations from George Washington University and resides in San Francisco, CA. Member since 2013.
  • AJ Hess '12, New York

    Abigail Johnson Hess ’12 graduated from Wellesley College with a bachelor’s degree in media arts & sciences and political science. She is the multimedia lead at Robinhood and was formerly a multimedia reporter at CNBC Studios in New York City where she has interviewed presidential candidates, congress members, senators, college presidents, academics, economists, CEOs, celebrities and professional athletes. Previously, Abigail worked in digital media at 270 Strategies and Third Bridge Group Limited. She was also the voice of the CNBC show “Suddenly Obsessed,” which profiles companies and trends that seemingly come out of nowhere. While at Webb, she was a senior ambassador and day student and competed on the varsity soccer and varsity track and field teams. Member since 2021. 
  • Alexis De La Rosa '11, Denver

    Alexis De La Rosa ‘11 attended Bryn Mawr College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Latin American, Latino, Iberian people and cultures. She earned her master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in higher education/higher education administration. She works for the University of Pennsylvania as an assistant director of development for undergraduate financial aid and serves as a member of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Action Committee. Alexis was a volleyball, water polo, and track & field athlete at Webb and participated in the Global Citizen Corps. Member since 2021. 
  • David Ivey-Soto '82, Washington, DC

    David Ivey-Soto ’82 is the current National Treasurer and a former National Secretary of the American Culinary Federation serving on its Board of Directors. David Ivey-Soto earned his AOS from the Culinary Institute of America where he was on the Dean’s List, was the Student Council President, and was Sommelier de Vin. He was honored to be selected as a Fellow of the Culinary Institute of America where he worked with chefs Clark and Canner in the Fish Kitchen and with Mr. Schmitter in the American Bounty Dining Room. He has earned Certified Executive Chef (CEC®) and Certified Culinary Administration (CCA®) from the American Culinary Federation. In 2005 he earned an MBA from the College of William & Mary. David is very active in his Webb class; serving as a reunion chair, serving as a regional representative on the Alumni Council, and hosting events in D.C. Member since 2013. 
  • Preston Clarke '98, Pheonix

    Preston Clarke ’98 graduated from Wheaton College with a B.A. in economics and earned his MBA from the University of Arizona. He is a managing partner of Arizona Venture Consulting, which provides advisory services to early stage and growth companies. He was formerly COO of Matador Network, an online travel magazine and journalism school. While at Webb, Preston was a dorm prefect and a member of the varsity soccer, swim and water polo teams. He resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. On the council, Preston has been active in supporting the Webb15 Affinity group and Webb@Work internship program. Member since 2009.
  • Keating Leung '98, Hong Kong

    Keating Leung ’98 received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and computer science from University of Southern California. In 2004, he started a company in manufacturing and designing auto parts for auto manufactures. While at Webb, Keating was a member of the varsity water polo, wrestling and swim teams. He resides in Hong Kong with his wife and daughter. 
  • Henry Xu '12, Greater Bay Area, China

  • Joanne Goh '99, Shanghai

    Joanne Goh ‘99 graduated from Cornell University with a MEng and B.S. in chemical engineering. A Hong Kong native, she resides in Shanghai and is a vice president and China market specialist at Citi. While at Webb, Joanne was a boarder, and she has particularly fond memories of dance, chemistry and French classes. She is proud to become the first alumni regional rep in Shanghai and cannot wait to share her Webb experiences and help promote Webb in the region. Member since 2018.
  • Chan Woo Sung '86, Seoul

    Chan Sung is a member of Webb class of 1986. After graduating from Webb, Chan attended UC Irvine and graduated with a B.A. in political science in 1990. Chan then attended New York Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review. After graduating NYLS in 1993, he worked as a maritime lawyer for 10 years at a law firm where the mother of former Webb Head of Schools Susan Nelson worked for many years (although Chan never had the pleasure of working with her). Chan returned to Korea with his family in 2003 where he continued his legal career. He has worked for one of Korea’s leading law firms, an electronics company, a tobacco company and a large retailer. Chan is legal director of a total beverage alcohol company and hopes to add weapons and casino companies to round out his resume as the consigliere for all of the sin industries. Chan is married to Beatrice, has an older daughter, Sabrina, soon to graduate from Brandeis University, and a younger son, Curtis. 
  • Mabel Hsu '01, Taiwan

    Mabel Hsu is a Partner and Head of Investor Relations at Cherubic Ventures based in Taipei, Taiwan. She has over 15 years of investment banking experience from Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Mizuho Securities. Mabel also worked in investor relations at Alibaba Group. She holds a B.S. in economics from University of Pennsylvania. While here at Webb, Mabel was a part of the Sinfonia music program and received the Sinfonia Scholarship Award as well as the Frances and J.E. Libaw Orchestra Director’s Award, both of which recognized her for her excellent musicianship and superior leadership while at Webb. Two of Mabel’s siblings also attended Webb and she hopes for her daughter to one day be able to attend Webb as well.

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