By Deirdre Doheny, Board Member, Bronxville School Foundation
The Bronxville School Foundation is set to launch its fall fundraising campaign and is happy to announce the addition of seven new board members as well as a new slate of officers for the 2022-2023 school year.
Since its inception, the nonprofit organization has given more than $12 million in grants to the Bronxville School to enhance the quality of education in the district. The BSF has funded new curriculum, technology, faculty training, facilities projects, and special materials and equipment. Last year the Foundation provided $507,000 in support through their grant program.
The Foundation actively engages with the district to identify high priority needs that are beyond what the school’s budget is able to cover. Each year, it relies on the fall campaign to help fund these critical grants. The generous support received from alumni, Bronxville community members, school families, and matching corporate gifts through the fall fundraising campaign enables the Foundation to fund grants that fill the gap between what the school budget provides and what a transformative education demands. This year, the Foundation’s goal is to get 100% participation in the fundraising campaign from Bronxville School families.
Please consider a gift to the Foundation this year.
The Foundation is delighted to welcome our newest board members. "Our new board members are exceptionally talented and committed individuals who bring a breadth of valuable experience to the Foundation,” said Nominating Chair, Rob Crystal. "We are confident that they will make significant contributions to our school and the Foundation's initiatives. We are fortunate to have them join our board."
Alex Bici
Originally from Garden City, L.I., Alex graduated from Colby College and received an MBA in Finance from the Stern School of Business at NYU. Alex has spent his entire 28-year career at Deutsche Bank (formerly Bankers Trust), holding various positions in investment banking, fixed income research and sales and trading. He currently runs the leveraged loan and high yield bond sales desks. He also serves as his class gift chair for Colby's class of 1994. Alex and his wife Danielle moved to Bronxville in 2013 and have two children in the Bronxville School, one in the middle school and one in the high school.
Michael Brandes (ex-officio member, School Board representative)
Michael received a BA in English Literature from the University at Albany and attended Columbia University School of the Arts before completing an MBA at Columbia Business School. He established Brandes Capital LLC in 2019 after nearly 30 years on Wall Street, most recently as Chief Investment Strategist & Head of Research for the international private bank at Itaú Unibanco. Prior to Itaú, Michael was Managing Director and Head of Fixed Income Strategy at Citigroup, and sat on the Investment Policy Committees for both Citi and Morgan Stanley. Michael and his wife, Nadine, have been residents since 2012 and have two children attending The Bronxville School. He is currently vice-president of the Bronxville School Board of Education.
Dave Lewis
Dave graduated from Emory University and holds law degrees from the University of Maryland and New York University. He is currently a tax partner at Allen & Overy LLP and serves as the managing partner of the New York office. Dave, his wife Robin and their three children moved to Bronxville in 2016 and are all active members of the community. Two of those children currently attend the Bronxville School, while the third is a recent graduate (2021).
Carrie Long
Carrie received her B.S in Biology from Yale University. After her undergraduate degree, Carrie completed a yearlong program at The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and received her degree in Culinary Arts. She then went on to receive her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She completed her pediatric residency at the Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital/Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and was chosen to serve as Chief Resident. Carrie then completed a 1-year research fellowship in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. She joined Manhattan Pediatrics, a private practice on the Upper East Side affiliated with Columbia and Cornell’s Medical Colleges in 2010. She and her husband Jeff Greenfield moved to Bronxville in 2012. Carrie has served as a 3-year board member and past president of the Lawrence Park Hilltop association. Jeff and Carrie have 4 boys who attend all three Bronxville Schools.
Katrina Nay (ex-officio member, PTA Representative)
Katrina received a BA in Psychology from Vanderbilt University and an MSW from Columbia University. After working in direct practice for several years, she transitioned to working in development for organizations focused on children and education. Her volunteer interests include alumni engagement for Vanderbilt University, serving as an evaluator for The Community Fund, and a variety of roles within the Bronxville School PTA. Katrina and her husband, Chris, moved to Bronxville in 2013 and have two children at The Bronxville School.
Mary Preusse
Mary received an AB in Mathematics from Bowdoin College and is a member of Bowdoin’s Board of Trustees. She is the lead independent director of Kimco Realty and serves on the boards of three other public companies: Digital Realty, Host Hotels and Resorts, and Realty Income. She is also a senior advisor to Fifth Wall, the venture capital firm. Prior to her current work as board director and advisor, Mary served as Managing Director and Head of Americas Listed Real Estate at APG Asset Management US, one of the largest institutional real estate platforms in the world. Mary has volunteered in a variety of roles at the Bronxville School including class parent, grade chair, and coordinating Senior Shadowing. Mary and her husband Charles have lived in Bronxville since 1996. All three of their children have attended the Bronxville School, and one is a current student.
Catherine O’Connor Williams
Catherine is a proud alumna of The Bronxville School who, along with her five siblings, attended grades K-12 at the school. She graduated from Georgetown University with a B.A. in English and received her MBA from Columbia University. Catherine began her career in San Francisco working in Merchandising for both the Gap and Old Navy brands; after business school in New York, she held various retail-related roles, including Consulting and Merchandising positions (most recently with Tommy Hilfiger). Catherine and her husband, Matt, returned to Bronxville prior the birth of their second child in 2012, and she has been actively involved with numerous local organizations, including The Lawrence Hospital, The Reformed Church Nursery School (including as a Board Member) and The Bronxville School. Along with her family, Catherine is also involved with two global health relief service non-profit organizations, Partners in Health and Catholic Relief Services. Catherine is the proud Mom to five children, three boys who are current students at the school (rising 6th, 5th and 3rd graders), and twin girls who are very excited to join them in kindergarten next year.
Photo courtesy of Bronxville School Foundation. (L to R): Dave Lewis, Katrina Nay, Carrie Long, Mary Preusse, Catherine O'Connor Williams, and Michael Brandes.