Stoneleigh-Burnham Alumnae

Behind every SBS student is a future waiting to unfold.
Your Annual Fund gift helps provide financial aid, innovative classroom experiences, leadership opportunities, athletics, arts programs, and the support students need to thrive.
As we approach June 30, we’re inviting our community to invest in the next generation of confident, capable young women.
Every gift helps a student discover what she’s capable of.
Give today through the link in our bio.

. To finish out Alumnae Month, we are spotlighting Resa (Schuster) Ike ’85, an incredible leader whose lifelong dedication, hard work, and love for Stoneleigh-Burnham recently earned her the prestigious Elinor Johnstone Ferdon ’54 MAB Alumnae Leadership Award. This honor recognizes an alumna who demonstrates outstanding leadership, grace, poise, and determination within our community. During her time at SBS, Resa was a standout leader both on and off the field, serving as a Peer Counselor, a member of the Athletic Association, and captain of both the Varsity Soccer and Varsity Volleyball teams.

Today, Resa remains a deeply involved member of the SBS community, actively serving on the Alumnae Board and championing vital fundraising efforts for major projects on campus. From helping secure the WAV (Weekend Activity Vehicle) to most recently raising funds for the school’s two new boilers, her dedication ensures today's students have the best possible experience.

After graduating from Ithaca College, Resa launched into a dynamic, 25-year management career. She began with the Marriott Corporation, paving the way for her to become the first female Senior Store Manager with Party City of Atlanta in 1996. Later, Resa and her husband moved back home to support her family, turning that transition into an entrepreneurial triumph by opening their own highly successful business, Party Time, which served their community for 13 years. When the pandemic hit, Resa successfully pivoted into the e-commerce world with Wayfair, mastering digital communication and customer retention. Whether she is leading a board, running a thriving business, or volunteering, Resa always reminds us what it looks like when someone truly leads with heart. We are so incredibly grateful for your leadership, Resa!

Competitive? Love a little fun & games? Here is the perfect Silent Auction basket to bid on – donated by Donna Lynn Jordan ’86. Register today, link in bio, and join in the action!

The SBS Reunion Silent Auction begins Friday, June 5 — and we’re giving you a preview! First up, a wonderful painting, “O Captain! My Captain!“, by Laurie Filios Blanchard ’85, in memory of Tom Iampietro. So many wonderful items have been donated, with the proceeds supporting the Annual Fund. Comment below if you want us to tag you when the bidding opens. Link in bio to register for Reunion!

Today for Alumnae Month, we are thrilled to spotlight Jessica K. Meese ’04. As a four-year senior at SBS, Jessica was a force to be reckoned with—balancing the Senior Math and Music awards with the National Honor Society, the Coach’s Award in Dance, and the MVP Captain’s Award in Varsity Soccer. Today, she brings that same high-energy versatility to her career as a leader in civil engineering and a passionate performer on the stage.

Jessica’s professional path is a masterclass in breaking barriers. After earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, she entered the male-dominated world of heavy infrastructure. Her approach is defined by a rare mix of technical precision and steadfastness. While managing massive projects like the East Side Access for the Long Island Railroad at Grand Central Terminal, her talent earned her the Systems Manager of the Year award for her project team in 2018.

Now based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Jessica continues her impactful career with Jacobs. She still works part-time on the East Side Access project while also serving as the Program Change Manager for the B&P Tunnel Replacement Project in Baltimore, Maryland—a major train tunnel and station project for Amtrak.

Even while reshaping critical transit infrastructure, Jessica has never lost her passion for performance. In New York, she shone with The Blue Hill Troupe, performed her own one-woman cabaret, and took the stage in Sondheim’s Company. Since relocating to Colorado, she has found a new artistic home with the group "Find Your Light." This past March, Jessica experienced a beautiful full-circle moment when she shared the stage with her mother, Cyndee Meese P’04, in Fiddler on the Roof. Although Cyndee was Jessica’s music, theater, Octet, and debate teacher for four years at SBS, this production marked the very first time the mother-daughter duo actually performed in a show together.

She was the well-deserved first recipient of The Stoneleigh-Burnham Distinguished Young Alumna Award, and we are so proud to see her continuing to build—and sing—her way to new heights!

To continue Alumnae Month, we’re spotlighting Molly Beer ’96 – daughter of Lucia (Sanders) Beer, ’67 – an author, editor, and educator who has dedicated her career to the power of the written word. At Stoneleigh-Burnham School, Molly was an avid equestrian, editor of the literary magazine, and a member of speech and debate (where, she notes, she finished last at Worlds). Since then, she has explored the world with deep curiosity and a sharp, observant eye.

This year, Molly published her first solo-authored book, Angelica: For Love & Country inA Time of Revolution with W. W. Norton. In this “brisk and vivid” biography of Angelica Schuyler Church—one of the “Schuyler Sisters” and the founder of Molly’s hometown of Angelica, NY—Molly tells the story of the American Revolution and U.S. Founding through the far-flung life of an intelligent, charismatic woman whose network of friends changed the fates of nations.

Molly’s writing reflects a rare ability to understand the world through immersion and
empathy. Drawing on her years working as an international teacher and foreign
correspondent in El Salvador, Ecuador, Mexico, and elsewhere, she has written place-
based documentary nonfiction and longform journalism for publications including Salon, Guernica, The Rumpus, and Best Women’s Travel Writing.

Beyond her own writing, Molly is a dedicated educator. She has taught creative and
documentary nonfiction writing at Colgate University, Scripps College, and the University of Michigan, helping the next generation of students find their voices and refine their craft. In balancing the solitary work of an author with the collaborative energy of the classroom, Molly demonstrates that leadership often looks like mentorship.

The thoughtful perspective Molly brings to her work today is a beautiful evolution of the voice she began to find right here at SBS.

For our next Alumnae Month spotlight, we’re featuring Elizabeth Tichenor ’86. Elizabeth has built an impressive career in the legal and compliance fields, recently adding a Paralegal Certificate from Boston University to her credentials. She currently serves as a Paralegal at CooperSurgical, where she handles everything from complex contract management to supporting internal investigations.

Elizabeth’s career is a masterclass in detail and dedication. Whether she is analyzing data for legal proceedings or implementing new platforms to make her team more efficient, her approach is all about clarity and precision. She has a unique ability to take a stack of information, like medical records or investigative reports for example, and organize it into a clear, actionable plan that her legal teams can rely on.

What stands out most about Elizabeth is her drive to never stop learning. Between earning her MBA and a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from Sacred Heart University, she has consistently sought out new ways to grow as a leader. She’s the person behind the scenes making sure the gears are turning smoothly, ensuring that integrity and efficiency go hand-in-hand.

The critical thinking and focus Elizabeth brings to her work today are skills that have deep roots in her time here at SBS. Her journey from our campus to becoming a trusted leader in legal operations is a wonderful example of the grit and professionalism our alumnae are known for. We are so proud to have her continued leadership today as a dedicated member of our Alumnae Board.