Reasons to love
The Hudson School
LETTER FROM
THS HEAD OF SCHOOL
The Hudson School is at an exciting inflection point.
In our 46 year history, we’ve expanded many times, and this year—for the first time—we became a preK-12th grade school, following a merger with the Mustard Seed School in July.
I became THS' third Head of School the same month the merger was completed. As I help THS navigate this period of transformation, I am reminded of foundational values and what makes us special—passionate and dedicated teachers who inspire bright students from all over the world. We affirm who we are by telling our stories, and that’s what this magazine sets out to do. We highlight the people and the ethos that make us uniquely THS. I hope you enjoy it.
In this publication, we also honor our donors because at The Hudson School, your generosity matters. Your support helps maintain our high standards of academic programming and our ability to offer life-changing financial aid. Your kindness helps to inspire our community and reminds us that together, we grow and thrive. If The Hudson School has made a difference in your life, please consider making a gift.
With gratitude and well wishes,
Rebekah Sollitto P’29, P’32
Head of School
Feature Story
The Hudson School Magic
Randi Roberts ’05 spoke to faculty who’ve worked at THS for over two decades
Hornet Happenings
News from THS alumni
Galia Dorman Ferraro MS '86
Galia has spent the past few decades as a high school English teacher. She teaches “Romeo and Juliet” to honors freshmen students and reminisces about playing Juliet under Mrs. Marcazzo. She also teaches vocabulary and thinks of the great advantage she received studying Latin in middle school!
Cristin Cricco-Powell MS '88
Cristin was named the City of Hoboken’s Head of Cultural Affairs! Cristin will be responsible for continuing the legacies of favorite events including the biannual Arts and Music Festival, Spaghetti Dinner Block Party, and other traditions while also helping to develop new events and programs.
Phil Mazo '95
Phil’s newest short film, “Replay,” was entered as an official selection at the 2024 Montclair Film Festival.
Vernon Gibbs II '96
Vernon has been hosting a five-part podcast “Storm Water Matters.” Presented by New Jersey Urban News, the podcast explores the complexities of wastewater and stormwater treatment in New Jersey's urban hubs, including Paterson, Newark, Morristown, and Hackensack. The podcast brings together experts, activists and community members to discuss the groundbreaking solutions improving water management.
Dominik Slusarczyk MS ’97
Dominik checked in to say that The Hudson School was the best thing to ever happen to him. “I am grateful for Sue’s hard work,” said Dominik, “And I love you all.”
Daniel Wortel-London MS ’00
Daniel is partnering with the University of Chicago Press to publish his new book, “The Menace of Prosperity" in 2025, which discusses how urban economics and politics are shaped by what he terms the “fiscal imagination” of policymakers, activists, advocates, and other figures. Daniel is currently a policy analyst whose work focuses on local economic development and public finance strategies. He is also a visiting Assistant Professor at Bard College.
Brian Cajes ’01
“Brian sent in a note: “The more I look back, the more grateful I am for the opportunities and teachers that helped shape me at THS. I would love to visit the next time I'm on the East Coast. After a few years at Regeneron, we embarked on a new venture and eventually founded Empirico. Our focus at Empirico has been on identifying drug targets through human genetics and developing drugs for these targets, primarily using a drug modality called siRNA. We've grown from a team of three to nearly 60, with labs in San Diego and Madison, and have made significant discoveries around the genetics and biological mechanisms of several diseases, as well as began developing drugs to treat them. As we progress to clinical trials for our first drug candidates, I am filled with optimism about helping many patients in need. My family and I have settled in San Diego, but we maintain close ties with friends and extended family in and around NYC. I hope to visit Hoboken and The Hudson School again soon. Thank you again for helping open doors that have led me to this path!”
Yotam Marom ’04
In February, Yotam was featured in The New York Times in a story about Brooklyn parents raising money for migrants who had been evicted from the shelter where they were living. (If you want to look up the article, its headline is “When Migrant Families Were Evicted, Neighbors Invited Them Home,” February 5, 2024.) After college, Yotam returned to teach at THS. His wife, Bianca, also taught at the school, and they developed a community service curriculum. They have two daughters. Yotam’s younger brother, Ophir, now a physical therapist, also graduated from THS.
Ashley Hearon-Smith US ‘03
Ashley Hearon-Smith has started a new role as on-air host of “Lifestyled” on QVC+.
Viraj Desai US ’04 and Alex (Loizzo) Desai US ’05
Viraj and Alex became parents in February 2024, welcoming the adorable Devin to their family!
Jeremy Pesner US '05
Jeremy Pesner has signed on as a mentor in the 2025 Technologists for the Public Good (TPG) Mentorship Program. This prestigious five-month program, running from January to May, focuses on fostering connections, knowledge sharing, career growth support, and navigating the complex yet rewarding field of public interest technology.
Molly Reckford MS ’07
Molly competed in her second Olympic Games this year (in Paris), once again representing the US in the rowing event Lightweight Double Sculls. She previously competed in the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Justin Pack US '07
Justin Pack ran his first New York City Marathon this year! He did it for a good cause, raising over $5,000 for First Tee, an organization that teaches life skills through golf. Justin is a graduate of the program and was happy to give back.
Betsy Brennan US ’09
Betsy, who is one of three in her family who are THS alumni, was recently featured in a story on nj.com about her life working at the Hawthorne Valley Farm, performing wellness checks on animals and milking, feeding, and looking after cows. While on the farm, Betsy has met with hundreds of THS alumni via her work with the organization Place Corps.
Ava Reid US ’13
Ava has landed on The New York Times best-seller list for the second time with her novel, “Lady Macbeth,” a reimagining of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” which centers the story on Lady Macbeth.
Myles Zhang ’15
Myles, now a doctoral candidate studying 20th-century American urban history at the University of Michigan, presented “Homeownership and the Racial Wealth Gap in Newark,” earlier in 2024 at the Newark Public Library.
Grace Enger '16
Grace, who attended THS along with her two siblings, is currently a BMI Indie Spotlight artist. She won the 2022 Abe Olman Scholarship from the Songwriters Hall of Fame and currently has over 36,000 followers on her TikTok account where she shares original songs.
Olivia Ma US ‘23
In November, Olivia took home the silver medal in women’s Lead at the IFSC (International Federation of Sport Climbing) Pan American Championships in Santiago, Chile. The US won nine medals across various climbing disciplines at the event. This is Olivia’s fifth year as an active IFSC participant.
New Board Members
Tom Horan
Tom Horan has been a member of The Hudson School community since 1994, when his daughter Martha entered the middle school back when it was based in the Hoboken Public Library. Later, his sons Edward and Thomas attended the middle school from 2012-2017. During those years he joined the school’s financial committee and served on various parent committees. A few years ago, he and his wife Kate were honored at the annual auction for service to Hudson. Tom’s professional career was largely spent as a professor at Fordham University in the business school and MBA programs. He taught communications and later ran Fordham’s joint MBA with the Irish Management Institute in Dublin. He left Fordham to become a partner in Columbus Partners, a small private equity group with Arthur Taylor, a former president of CBS. Tom holds a BA from Georgetown, an MFA from San Francisco State University, an MA in the Humanities from Johns Hopkins, an MA and PhD in English from SUNY Buffalo, and a more recent MA in Educational Psychology from Columbia. He resides in Hoboken and has served on the local theater board. He is also a principal in a vineyard in Pennsylvania.
Luisa Palacios
Luisa Palacios is the Managing Director of Energy Transition Finance and Deputy Research Director at Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. She came to Columbia University in 2021, following a two-year period as the Chairwoman of Houston-based Citgo Petroleum Corporation. During that time, she also chaired the Simon Bolivar Foundation, Citgo's 501 (c)(3). Before Citgo, Luisa was a Senior Managing Director and member of the management committee of Medley Global Advisors, a NY-based financial and policy research firm. She also worked in various financial organizations such as Barclays Capital and Société Générale as an economist in their research and risk departments. She graduated from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas, Venezuela; holds a master’s degree in international affairs from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs; and received a Ph.D. in international affairs from The John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, D.C. Luisa is a member of the Editorial Board of Americas Quarterly and a member of the Women in Energy Advisory Board of the Center on Global Energy Policy. Luisa and her husband live in Hoboken and are proud parents of a current THS Middle School student and a THS alumnus.
Built with Shorthand