Briefly: Alumni Living Out DA's Mission
A Mission-Minded Master Class
The spring 2025 alumni master class featuring Dr. Becca North ’94 and Michael Ulku-Steiner brought together 45 alumni ranging from the classes of 1980 to 2024. Chip McCorkle ’05 organized and moderated much of the night’s event, during which North and Ulku-Steiner spoke about how they integrate the Durham Academy mission into their everyday lives, whether through happiness in their home life or productivity in their work.
Conrad Hall ’89 Joins NC High School Hall of Fame for Track and Cross-Country
Conrad Hall ’89, who serves as Cary Academy’s cross-country and track & field coach, was inducted into the North Carolina High School Track & Field and Cross-Country Hall of Fame in February. Hall’s legacy of excellence spans more than two decades, with CA having won eight team state championships and 72 individual state championships under his leadership.
Hall was an accomplished student-athlete at Durham Academy. A five-time individual state champion and a member of seven state championship-winning teams in track and cross-country, he was inducted into the DA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017.
Black Affinity Group Welcomes LaQuesa Gaillard ’06 Back to Campus
In October, the Durham Academy Upper School Black Affinity Group welcomed LaQuesa Gaillard ’06 to campus to share about her experiences at DA and beyond, including her passion for Latin dance.
“I had a really sweet time coming back to DA to see the campus and share with DA’s Black Affinity Group,” Gaillard said. “It was so amazing being able to look at the sea of faces who are currently enrolled and know that they will carry on the tradition of DA’s Black excellence. I am grateful for their curiosity, attentiveness and their overall inquisitive energy during my short talk. The invitation was actually a gift that they gave to me, as I appreciated being there and sharing my DA and current life story. I hope that in the spirit of diversity, they were inspired by my journey through DA and beyond. Thank you, DA Upper School Black Affinity Group, for having me!”
Peter Elkins-Williams ’03 Joins The Washington Post
Peter Elkins-Williams ’03 was recently named head of Global Partnerships & Corporate Development at The Washington Post. He previously held positions at Meta, Atlantic Media, Vox Media and his own advisory firm, EMC Growth Advisors, where he consulted for The Washington Post.
Science Magazine Shares Research of Hope Ronco ’07
Hope Ronco ’07 made waves when her research was published in a September 2024 issue of Science magazine. She co-authored an article titled “Four decades of Hawaiian monk seal entanglement data reveal the benefits of plastic debris removal” — which provides evidence that the cost and effort of removing plastic pollution does, in fact, help to preserve the endangered Hawaiian monk seal species. Ronco works as a marine biologist with NOAA Fisheries and for the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center under the Protected Species Division, supporting Hawaiian monk seal, marine turtle and cetacean research.
Forever Friends in the Class of 2018
A group of alumni from the Class of 2018 exemplifies the strong relationships formed by Durham Academy students. Solidly bound since their 10th grade year, they have remained close through the ups and downs of young adulthood: staying in touch over thousands of miles during college, weathering a pandemic, and growing alongside one another as they’ve added life experiences. They connect regularly via Zoom calls and yearly cross-country visits. Gathering regularly are Ian Layzer, Alex Charles, Dylan Peter, Scarlett Reade, Austen Dellinger, Jack McCallie, Scott Hallyburton, Thomas Owens and (not pictured) Jeanne Jung.
Creative Pursuits Keep Dr. Lauren Jane Barnett ’04 Busy
Living and working out of London, Dr. Lauren Jane Barnett ’04 began filming her short horror film, Darner, in November. The film stars Adrienne King, who appeared in Friday the 13th.
In other creative pursuits, Barnett’s science fiction novella, Occam’s Dream, was released in February. The story is a blend of sci-fi and psychological mystery that dances around dreams, memories and narratives — and examines whether it’s really possible to control them in order to protect whom you love.