The Supporting Cast

Bear Ride '71 is the only sister of astronaut and American hero, Sally Ride '68, who in 1983 became the first American woman in space. In this episode, Bear tells Sally's story—but also her own, which includes “breaking ground” in her own right as a female and openly gay Presbyterian minister. The Ride sisters were born and raised in Los Angeles and attended Westlake School, where Bear and Sally each encountered life-changing teachers—leading Bear to pursue the ministry and Sally a PhD in astrophysics. It was at Stanford where Sally came across a NASA ad soliciting interest in a new kind of astronaut. She applied, and the rest is history. Bear also speaks to the release of a new documentary, Sally, produced by National Geographic and premiering on Disney+ and Hulu on June 17. The film not only charts Sally Ride's public journey into space, but also her private 27-year partnership with a woman—Tam O'Shaughnessy. It wasn't until Sally's death in 2012 that her obituary revealed Tam as her partner—and thus the truth she'd kept private for so long. Bear references Westlake teachers David Coombs and Elizabeth Mommaerts as profound influences on her and Sally's lives and careers.

Adrián González had a 15-year career as a Major League Baseball player, punctuated by two five-year stints with the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers—including numerous Gold Gloves, Silver Sluggers, and All-Star selections—as well as seasons in which Adrián led the entire MLB in hits and RBI. In this episode, Adrián tells his story. From the challenges of learning English growing up between Mexico and San Diego, emerging as a baseball star at Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, and then being drafted #1 overall in 2000 by the Florida Marlins. Adrián also discusses many of the innovations occurring in baseball, including the pitch clock, infield shift, advanced analytics, and AI umpiring—in addition to the pride Adrián has felt as a Mexican American athlete representing southern California. Adrián references Zoila Madrazo of Burton C. Tiffany Elementary School, Dave Gonzalez of Eastlake High School, Manny Crespo of the Florida Marlins, and Bruce Bochy of the San Diego Padres as profound teachers and coaches along his personal and athletic journey.

For the last ten years (up until this past February), Deborah Rutter '74 was President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the national cultural center of the United States. In this episode, Deborah tells her story. From growing up in Encino and attending Westlake and then Stanford, to her long career in the arts—beginning with the LA Phil and LA Chamber Orchestra, before leading both the Seattle and Chicago Symphonies for 11 years each. Deborah and I also discuss the peculiarity of the past few months, beginning with her announcing in January this would be her last year leading the center as part of a carefully orchestrated succession plan. Two weeks later, everything changed. President Trump took over the center's board, naming himself as chair, and relieving Deborah of her duties. While Deborah does not directly address the President's reasoning, she instead focuses on the center's purpose and its magic. Deborah references Harry Jarvis of Mulholland Junior High School; David Coombs, James Hosney, Nat Reynolds '51, and Ham Smith of Westlake School; and Ernest Fleischmann of the Los Angeles Philharmonic as profound influences on her life and career in the arts.

In June of 2025, Dr. Jon Carroll will depart Harvard-Westlake after thirteen years—the first three leading HW Aquatics and the last ten as a middle school dean. Jon is not departing to join another school community, however—but to build one. In the fall of 2026, Jon will open Jabali Academy, a K-8 independent school centered in Inglewood with the mission of inspiring excellence in students and preparing them for places like Harvard-Westlake. Jabali, which means “rock” in Swahili, is emblematic of the foundation that education provided in Jon's own life—growing up in West Philadelphia as the child of educators, attending both private and public schools, before college at the University of Pennsylvania and then a PhD from UCLA. Lastly and most affectionately, Dr. Carroll speaks about the excellence and influence of his wife, noted TV writer and showrunner Nkechi Okoro Carroll. In addition to Nkechi, Jon references Paul Lindenmaier and Roy Farrar of Germantown Friends School, Tyrone Howard of UCLA, and Howard Stevenson of UPenn as profound influences on his life and career.

Liz Neubauer Freinberg '98 is Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel for the LA 2028 Olympics. In this episode, Liz discusses LA28's proposed athletic venues, transportation challenges, and "Olympic Village" site—as well as the notion of LA28 as a “comeback story,” highlighting the city's aspirations to rebuild after January's devastating wildfires. Liz also tells her own story, as the eldest of five Neubauer sisters who all attended Harvard-Westlake—after which she attended Columbia and Michigan Law, worked for two influential judges, took legal roles at Munger, Tolles & Olson and TMZ, before finding herself helping to lead the 2028 Olympic games. Liz references Joy Taniguchi of Warner Avenue Elementary School, Karl Kleinz and Francine Applebaum Werner '68 of Harvard-Westlake, and two judges (Hon. Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. and Hon. Margaret M. Morrow), as profound influences and mentors.

Ben Sherwood '81 is the publisher, CEO, and co-owner of the digital news platform The Daily Beast, a position Ben assumed in 2024 after a long and illustrious career as a media executive. For example, Ben has served as Executive Producer of Good Morning America, President of ABC News, and most recently led the entire Disney ABC Television Group globally. If that isn't enough, Ben is also an accomplished novelist, entrepreneur, and Rhodes Scholar. In this episode, Ben speaks about the principles behind covering the news with integrity and diligence during a time of rapid political change. Ben references journalist Tom Johnson, broadcasters Bill Moyers and Dan Rather, media executive Bob Iger, and various Harvard School teachers as profound influences on his life and career.

Nicole Brown '98 is the president of TriStar Pictures, the famed Sony Pictures division responsible for producing many of the most influential films in movie history. In this episode, Nicole tells her story—from growing up in Culver City and attending public and private schools, before discovering Harvard-Westlake through the Independent School Alliance. It was at HW where Nicole met the late great performing arts teacher Ted Walch, who encouraged Nicole (a budding actor) to consider working “on” student productions—rather than "in" them. The message stuck, leading Nicole to study history and film at Columbia University, pursue a life-changing internship with Marc Platt and executive role at Good Universe, and then finally—seize the opportunity to lead TriStar in 2020. Nicole references Ted Walch of Harvard-Westlake, as well as film producer Marc Platt and Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman, as profound influences and mentors.

In the season 6 opener, The Supporting Cast welcomes back its very first guest, Rick Commons, the Charles B. Thornton President of Harvard-Westlake. In this episode, Rick speaks to the many challenges and opportunities impacting today's HW students, from college admission and the promise of River Park (Harvard-Westlake's forthcoming third campus)—to fostering enduring HW values around civil discourse, diversity, and belonging. Rick also speaks poignantly and publicly for the first time about losing his home in the Palisades fire on January 7. A Pacific Palisades resident for more than a decade, Rick speaks about what drew his family to that community, what he's kept, and what he's lost. The Supporting Cast is grateful for Rick's time and participation in this series for a second time.

In 2017, a 31-year-old Nick Melvoin '04 was elected as one of seven members of the largest self-governing school district in the world, the LAUSD Board of Education. In this episode, Nick tells his story, from growing up in LA and attending Harvard-Westlake and Harvard College, before teaching in a Watts public school as part of Teach For America. The inequities that Nick observed there led him to partner with the ACLU in 2014 to sue the LAUSD on behalf of his students—a lawsuit he and the ACLU won—prompting Nick to attend law school and then public service in the Obama White House and then the school board. Now a decade later and viewing these issues as a policymaker, Nick speaks about the LAUSD's challenges—600,000 students, with 85% of LA kids living in poverty—and the delicate tensions around teacher compensation, teachers' unions, and school autonomy. Nick also discusses his recent resolution banning cell phones in all of LAUSD. Since the recording of this podcast, Nick's resolution passed. Nick references various educators at Harvard-Westlake, as well as Catherine Belcher of LMU and Mark Rosenbaum of the ACLU, as profound life influences.

Ynon Kreiz is Chairman and CEO of Mattel, a global toy and family entertainment company and owner of among the most iconic brand portfolios in the world. In this episode, Ynon tells his story—from growing up and attending college in Israel, before relocating to Los Angeles to study entertainment at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. But after 25 years of running several large entertainment companies, Ynon's life changed in 2018 when he was hired as Mattel's CEO. Within a few short weeks, Ynon was laser focused on creating a live action Barbie movie—but one that didn't merely pay homage to the iconic brand; he wanted to break convention and impact culture. As Ynon describes, the Barbie movie that Greta Gerwig created was not at odds with Ynon's vision for Mattel—but in complete alignment; a strategy to stand out in a crowded marketplace, say something bold and truthful about our culture, and even to be self-critical. In Ynon's words, Barbie is but one example of Mattel's evolution from a toy company manufacturing items to an IP company managing franchises and experiences. Ynon references entertainment mogul Haim Saban as a profound influence on his life and career.

On January 12, 2023, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Robert Hur '91 to oversee the Justice Department's investigation into President Biden's alleged mishandling of classified documents during his time as vice president—thrusting Rob into the national political spotlight. In this episode, Rob tells his story. The child of Korean immigrants, Rob's family settled in Southern California in the 1980s, where Rob attended Harvard School. Rob later discovered a passion for the law, and in 2018 he was named the US Attorney for the district of Maryland, where he led major investigations relating to violent crime, public corruption, and white supremacist-inspired domestic terrorism. All of this prepared Rob for this moment, testifying before a divided congress on March 12, and concluding an inquiry that Rob believes was fair and just. Rob references Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, and FBI Director Christopher Wray, as well as Harvard School educators John Amato, Bob Archer, Tom Donahue, Mimi Flood, and Phil Holmes, as profound life influences.

Tiffany Alexander Aldridge '87 is Director of Annual Giving at Harvard-Westlake, overseeing a program that leads all American day schools in overall dollars (raising more than $10M in 2022-2023). However, what draws Tiffany to the role is not the program's size, but its impact—which Tiffany and her family know personally. Tiffany grew up in South LA as the only child of a single mom, gaining access to Westlake School for Girls in 10th grade due to both her exceptional talent and the availability of need-based financial aid. It was this same combination of talent and resources that enabled her son, Chase Aldridge '15, to also attend Harvard-Westlake. While Tiffany's professional career has spanned various meaningful political and non-profit fundraising roles, in 2022 she seized the opportunity to return to HW and direct the very same program that profoundly impacted her family. It is a story that brings Tiffany quite literally to tears, imbued with gratitude for the role she plays now in creating more opportunities for students like her. Tiffany references Westlake educators Hope Boyd, Craig Deutsche, and Elizabeth Gregory as profound influences.

Kara Nortman '93 is co-founder of Los Angeles's professional women's soccer team Angel City. In this episode, Kara recounts her evolution from leading LA's largest venture capital firm, Upfront Ventures, to co-founding Angel City alongside partners Natalie Portman and Julie Uhrman in 2020. Since then, Angel City has not only garnered significant fan followings and profitability (quadrupling its revenue projections in year one), but also developed a profit model to enable community and philanthropic impact. Using Angel City as a model, Kara has since broadened her focus--leading a $150M raise to form Monarch Collective, whose mission is to invest in women's teams, sports, and rights across the world. Finally, Kara describes her own Harvard-Westlake story and personal connections to the team—noting that three of Angel City's stars, including team captain Ali Riley '06, Gisele Thompson '24, and Alyssa Thompson '23 are all HW alumnae. Kara references Jeanne Huybrechts and Barb Welch of Harvard-Westlake, as well as Alan Blinder and Lori Dauphiny of Princeton University, as profound educational influences.

On April 25, the NFL Network's Rich Eisen will host his 21st NFL Draft, anchoring what will amount to a 20-hour broadcast held over multiple days—framing compelling narratives and moderating impassioned debates about the NFL's next generation of stars. In this episode, Rich tells his story--from growing up in Staten Island as the child of two educators, to the University of Michigan and the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern, to being hired by ESPN in the mid-90s to host Sports Center at age 26. Rich references Lou Prato of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern, the Cornell Summer College writing intensive, as well as his own parents, as profound educational influences.

Actor, producer, and director Elizabeth Banks grew up in Pittsfield, MA, as the eldest of four siblings—falling into acting (quite literally) after suffering a softball injury, and then leaning into theater due to the encouragement of high school teachers. Then came the University of Pennsylvania, where she met her husband and now producing partner, followed by the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco. This launched Elizabeth's career in entertainment, acting in various memorable comedies and dramas throughout the 2000s and 2010s, before stepping behind the camera to produce and direct films ranging from the Pitch Perfect series to last year's Cocaine Bear. Elizabeth references educators Ralph Hammond and Janet Rajotte of Pittsfield High School, actress Annette Bening, and filmmakers Judd Apatow and Steven Spielberg as profound life influences.

In the season 5 opener, The Supporting Cast welcomes its first return guest, Dr. Mark Krieger, Surgeon-in-Chief at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). In March 2022, Dr. Krieger joined to discuss Kids and Covid-19 (Ep. 37). Two years later, he joins to address a different kind of global health crisis relating to adolescent mental health. In this episode, Dr. Krieger discusses various factors that have impacted modern adolescence--ranging from the pandemic, social media use, neuroscientific phenomena, destigmatization around asking for help, the role of parents and parenting, as well as how schools can be part of the solution by creating communities of connectivity and belonging. While Dr. Krieger referenced various educators previously, in this episode Mark discusses the profound influence of his wife, film producer Kristie Macosko Krieger.

In the season 4 finale, The Supporting Cast welcomes the 42nd Mayor of Los Angeles (2013-2022) and current United States Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti '88. In this episode, Ambassador Garcetti joins from Delhi, India, to tell his story—from growing up in Encino, to finding a passion for the performing arts at Harvard School, before studying international affairs at Columbia and as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. Mayor Garcetti also describes what drew him to public service; the child of Mexican and Jewish parents, Eric describes himself as a “bridge builder” with a passion and facility for bringing distinct groups of citizens together, finding common ground and working toward a better future, while acknowledging the inevitable disappointments and daily criticisms that accompany elected life. Ambassador Garcetti then explains his lifelong fascination with India, the world's most populous country—a story that began in childhood, with parents who encouraged Eric to see the world, foster a curiosity about the lives of others, and then identify ways to serve. Mayor Garcetti references varous educators at Harvard School, Columbia, and Oxford as profound influences on his life and career in public life.

For the last 26 years, Senior Advancement Officer Jim Pattison has spent nearly every weekday waking up at 3:30 a.m. at his home in Goleta nad driving nearly 200 miles roundtrip to his office at the Harvard-Westlake Middle School. In this episode, Jim tells us why. It began with growing up with parents who encouraged Jim to “figure things out” through hard work and perseverance, and continued with degrees from Georgetown and Notre Dame that Jim had to finance himself. Finally, it's been driven by a belief in the nobility of facilitating philanthropy in schools like Harvard-Westlake. On the eve of his retirement after a quarter century of service, Jim also tells stories that shed light on who he is personally: the heartwarming story of how Jim met his wife, Kappy; as well as the story of Arlene Director Schnitzer '47—an alumna who faced crippling antisemitism on the Westlake campus in the 1940s, but who ultimately made a major legacy gift to that same campus seven decades later, thanks to Jim's empathy and care. In addition to his parents, Jim references Tom Hurt of Management Recruiters (Chicago), Nyle Kardatzke of Brookfield Academy, and Tom Hudnut and Michael Segal '75 of Harvard-Westlake as profound life mentors.

In 2023, the Writers Guild of America awarded its highest honor for television writing achievement, the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award, to veteran TV writer, creator, and showrunner Yvette Lee Bowser. For more than three decades, Yvette has been telling stories via television—most recently showrunning Hulu's “Unprisoned,” starring Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo. But back in 1993, Yvette made history as the first Black woman to create her own primetime network television show—Living Single. In this episode, Yvette tells her own story—from growing up in various parts of Los Angeles before attending Santa Monica High School and then Stanford. In addition to speaking about the influence of great educators at both schools, Yvette describes her approach to leading writers' rooms, collaborating with show creators, and why she and other writers are currently on strike. Yvette references Paul Kerry of Santa Monica High School and Ronald Rebholz of Stanford University as profound educational influences.

In the heart of San Francisco's Mission District sits a community gathering place called “Manny's,” where on any day one might find Kara Swisher interviewing a member of Congress, a Q&A with San Francisco's Chief of Police, a gathering of Gamers of Color, or meeting of the American Jewish Committee. All of this the brainchild of the space's founder and namesake, Manny Yekutiel '07. In this episode, Manny tells his story—from growing up gay and closeted in a Modern Orthodox home in the Pico-Robertson district, before obtaining a Harvard-Westlake brochure, applying to the school in secret, and then attending with the help of need-based financial aid. After a life-changing Harvard-Westlake experience, Manny was then elected student body president at Williams College, followed by a White House Internship and Watson Fellowship, and then finally San Francisco, where Manny now owns and operates what has become the structural embodiment of his own political passions and curiosities. Manny references Tamar Adegbile, Portia Collins, and Tom Hudnut of Harvard-Westlake, Katya King of Williams College, and San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman as profound life influences

Patton Oswalt is an Emmy and Grammy Award winning comedian, writer, actor, and producer. In this episode, Patton speaks about growing up in a military family and attending a northern Virginia high school, before attending an open mic night during college and falling in love with the world comedy. This initial spark would eventually lead to multiple Netflix standup specials, film and television roles, and voicing the main character of "Remy" in Pixar's Ratatouille. Patton also speaks revealingly about the tragedy that beset his family when his wife died tragically in 2016, leaving Patton with the impossible task of informing their daughter the next day using the guidance of their elementary school. Patton describes not only the difficulty of the period, but also his daughter's resilience and his own rediscovery of joy. Patton references Ron Richards and David Wright of Broad Run High School, as well as various comedians, as profound life influences.

Julia Boorstin '96 is CNBC's Senior Media and Tech Correspondent and author of the new book When Women Lead: What They Achieve, Why They Succeed, and How We Can Learn from Them. In this episode, Julia speaks about why she chose to look at female leadership through the prism of entrepreneurship, noting how few female founders receive VC funding, but how and why those who do find disproportionately more success vs. their male counterparts. Julia also recounts her own leadership journey, which she attributes in part to powerfully influential journalism experiences and history teachers, both at Harvard-Westlake and at Princeton. Julia references Kathy Neumeyer, Eric Zwemer, and Karl Kleinz of Harvard-Westlake; Philip Nord and Anson Rabinbach of Princeton University; and journalist Andy Serwer as profound life influences.

Doug Kezirian '95 is the host of ESPN's first-ever daily betting show, The Daily Wager. In this episode, Doug takes us through the legal and societal evolution of sports betting, and how a subject many regarded as “unseemly” a decade ago now finds a comfortable home on ESPN. Doug also describes his own evolution, growing up in LA as the youngest of five brothers, attending Harvard-Westlake, Philips Exeter, and Brown University, followed by a start in broadcasting he characterizes as “the minor leagues.” Beginning in small markets in Iowa and Missouri, Doug eventually made his way to Las Vegas, NV, where he became familiarized with a “legal” sports betting framework and community. After finally being “called up” to ESPN in 2012 (and as national sports gambling restrictions began to relax), Doug became the ideal person to host the network's first ever daily program devoted to sports betting. Doug references Kathy Neumeyer and Bob Archer of Harvard-Westlake, as well as journalist Eric Sondheimer, as profound life influences.

In the vast and challenging landscape of global health, the story of malaria has most recently been one great progress. Many Asian countries, including Thailand, are on the verge of eliminating the disease entirely, demonstrating a 90% decrease in cases over the past 15 years. Standing at the forefront of this fight is Jui Shah '02, who leads a malaria elimination team in Bangkok, partnering with Thai leadership to collect and translate disease surveillance data, designin strategies and policy considerations, all with the goal to bring the country eventually down to zero. In this episode, Jui describes both the nature of her work, and her long journey from Harvard-Westlake--crediting in part the transformational impact of financial aid. Jui describes how she could not have accessed great institutions like Harvard-Westlake, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins were it not for need-based financial assistance. Today, Jui chooses to pay that gift forward through her work in Thailand, stating she feels "the responsibility to do something meaningful with all of the investment that has been made in me." Jui credits Nini Halkett and Javier Zaragoza from Harvard-Westlake, Chuck Weiss and You-Me Park at Georgetown, and global health leader Yazoume Ye as profound life influences.

Jarron Collins '97 is an assistant coach with the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans, and previous to that—a three-time NBA champion as an assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. In this episode, Jarron speaks about the many coaches who influenced his championship journey, from Harvard-Westlake to Stanford to the NBA—each of them contributing a style and philosophy that Jarron incorporates into his coaching today. On a more personal level, Jarron also recounts when in 2013, his twin brother Jason Collins '97 came out to him as gay. Following this revelation, Jarron describes realizing two newfound responsibilities: first, to love and support his sibling; and second, to more broadly and publicly become a gay ally. Jarron references Greg Hilliard of Harvard-Westlake, Mike Montgomery of Stanford, and Jerry Sloan and Steve Kerr of the NBA, as profound influences.

Lily Collins '07 is an actor, producer, and centerpiece of the global Netflix phenomenon, Emily in Paris. In this episode, Lily joins The Supporting Cast from New York amid a massive press tour, wedged between late night talk show appearances, to speak about the responsibility she carries as both the series lead, and more broadly, as a public figure. To the latter, Lily describes her choice in the 2017 memoir “Unfiltered” to speak about personal challenges in her teenage years—including battling an eating disorder. Lily insists that a principal reason she felt so prepared to share her truth was the confidence, trust, and sense of community she gained from Harvard-Westlake Peer Support. Lily remains close to this day with her HW Peer Support friends, and credits the group's embrace with her finding such a strong personal and professional community as an adult. Lily references educators Christopher Moore and Jocelyn Medawar of Harvard-Westlake, as well as actors/filmmakers Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, and David Fincher, as profound life mentors.

In the fall of 2017, Harvard-Westlake acquired 17 acres of flat land in Studio City with the aspiration of building a third campus. More than five years later, the project, now known as Harvard-Westlake River Park, is potentially within months of gaining approval with the City of Los Angeles. To help provide insights into this transformational project is Harvard-Westlake CFO and River Park project lead, David Weil '93. In this episode, David speaks in detail about not only River Park's unique benefits to the health and well-being of Harvard-Westlake students, but also how the project will impact both the local community and natural environment—including the largest investments in environmental sustainability the school has ever undertaken. As Harvard-Westlake's Chief Financial Officer, David also speaks about managing a hundred million dollar financial operation, and how the school has managed to increase faculty and staff compensation at a higher rate than tuition for five consecutive years—a feat that should not be financially possible but that David has helped to make so. Lastly, David speaks about his own Harvard, Harvard-Westlake, and Pomona College experiences, and how the lessons of team sports have not only impacted him personally, but also make him the ideal leader for a community-centered athletic and recreational facility like River Park. David references Hans Palmer and Pat Mulcahy of Pomona College, in addition to Rob Levin of Harvard-Westlake, as profound life influences.

Beloved Harvard-Westlake teacher, colleague, mentor, and friend Ted Walch died peacefully at his home on September 8, 2022. In Ted's memory, we re-post Season 1, Episode 6, of The Supporting Cast featuring the inimitable Ted Walch.

In the season 3 finale, The Supporting Cast welcomes Tony and Emmy Award winning actor Courtney B. Vance. In this episode, Courtney speaks about growing up in Detroit during the 1960s and 1970s and attending an independent school, Detroit Country Day, before heading to Harvard and then Yale School of Drama. In addition to discussing his career as an actor, Courtney describes many of the broader themes that have impacted both his family and his creativity, such as race, mental health, education, and criminal justice. Among the most noteworthy of Courtney's roles was playing O.J. Simpson defense attorney Johnny Cochran on FX's "The People v. O.J. Simpson," for which Courtney won an Emmy in 2016. Courtney describes finding his connection to Cochran through their shared experience of being “the only Black kid at an all-White School” and therefore also sharing, in his mind, both the experiences and skill sets that helped Johnny to understand O.J., and Courtney to understand Johnny. Courtney references George Brown, Kay Slaughter, and Beverly Hannett-Price of Detroit Country Day and Earle Gister and Lloyd Richards of Yale School of Drama as profound educational influences.

Kate Benton just completed her 27th year at Harvard-Westlake, where she has served as a performing arts faculty member and most recently as Head of the Middle School Deans. In this episode, Kate explains how middle schoolers have adjusted back to “in-person” school academically, mentally, and socially, and how Kate and her colleagues start their advisory work with "listening." Kate also describes her upbringing in New York City as the child of a theater producer and classically trained violinist, which spurred in her a passion for the arts. This carried through to her schooling at Chapin, Dana Hall, and Northwestern, before Kate ventured west to Los Angeles and joining the famed Groundlings improvisation and sketch comedy group where she later served as President. Following an acting career that included appearing on two episodes of Seinfeld (both are discussed), Kate discovered Harvard-Westlake and in 1995 accepted Tom Hudnut's invitation to begin her career in education. In conclusion, Kate tells one of the most moving stories of the series, relating to the Broadway musical Mame, a fire, her father, and a time when Kate says, "Harvard-Westlake was listening." Kate references her parents, Jeanne Armin of Dana Hall School, Nina Burtchaell of Harvard-Westlake, and actor Phil Hartman as profound life influences.

In the spring of 2014, Erik Swoope '10 laced up his cleats for the first day of rookie camp with the Indianapolis Colts. While the NFL is a rare destination for any aspiring professional athlete, this was especially unusual for Erik. Erik Swoope never played college football, nor high school football, nor youth football--nor had he watched the Super Bowl in more than a decade. Yet somehow, Erik made the practice squad--and then the real squad, spending the next several years catching touchdown passes from Andrew Luck as an NFL tight end. In this episode, Erik tells his story, from growing up in Lake Elsinore and playing AAU basketball, to finding Harvard-Westlake and University of Miami, to then converting his ACC basketball skills to the route-running and pass-catching of the NFL. Through it all, however, Erik has found success by conveying both the inner confidence to pursue new challenges and the humility to seek wisdom and guidance from others. Among the many figures Erik cites as profound mentors are Jon Wimbish and Greg Hilliard of Harvard-Westlake, Jim Larrañaga of University of Miami, and Rob Chudzinski, Jimmy Graham, Jack Doyle, Reggie Wayne, and Andrew Luck of the National Football League.

After 12 years at Phillips Andover, Rev. Anne Gardner joined Harvard-Westlake in 2020 as the school's chaplain. While prior to Anne's arrival, Rick Commons had framed the role as an “entrepreneurial chaplaincy,” Anne had no idea how unorthodox it would actually become. Anne spent the first year of the job remote from Los Angeles, and then the second year working with students and adults who were still adjusting psychologically and spiritually to the fear and isolation of a global pandemic. In its aftermath, Anne sees her role as helping community members ask the big questions—such as, “Who am I? How do I decide right from wrong? Whom do I emulate? What gives my life meaning?" In Anne's case, life was given meaning by two brave and resilient parents—a mother who became a biochemist, and her father a World War II hero and amputee. It was they who inspired Anne's sense of gratitude and public service, as well as her commitment to a somewhat unlikely career as an ordained minister. Anne admits that as a gay woman, she carries an unusual combination of characteristics for clergy—but that she enjoys leaning into this cognitive dissonance in others, as a way to demonstrate both a common humanity, as well as the many spiritual paths to intellectual and religious leadership. Anne credits both her parents and her Jesuit education as profound influences on her life and career.

Sabrina Singh '05 is Deputy Press Secretary to Vice President Kamala Harris. In this episode, Sabrina speaks about the heightened stakes of White House communications, the delicate balance between policy precision and personal authenticity in political speech, and how the Harris and Biden press teams collaborate as a unified administration. Sabrina also describes both her past—growing up in Los Angeles and attending Harvard-Westlake and USC—as well as her future, as she prepares for a new role at the Pentagon as Director of Integrated Campaigns for the Department of Defense. Lastly, while the conversation avoids discussing the policies of the Biden-Harris administration, Sabrina speaks about how meaningful it is, particularly as an Indian American woman, for her to work for the first woman and first Indian American to serve as Vice President. As Sabrina notes, Kamala Harris “looks like me.” Sabrina references Jane Dabel and Bob Pavitch of Harvard-Westlake, Douglas Becker and Todd Boyd of USC, Jesse Ferguson and Jennifer Krider of the DCCC, and United States Senator Cory Booker as profound influences on her life and career.

John Gatins is an Oscar-nominated screenwriter. In this episode, John speaks about initially coming to Hollywood to be an actor, before landing a chance opportunity to re-write a high school football movie called Varsity Blues in 1999. The film's success launched a screenwriting career that would place John as one of the most sought-after “script doctors” in Hollywood, working on films ranging from Behind Enemy Lines to Power Rangers to the forthcoming Aladdin 2. But it also enabled John to champion his passion project—a complex character study about an alcoholic commercial airline pilot called Flight, starring Denzel Washington, which garnered John an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 2013. John also describes growing up in New York, and how his mother landing a job in the advancement office at Vassar College changed the trajectory of his life. Due to Vassar providing tuition assistance to the admitted children of Vassar staff, John and his siblings were able to access a college experience they could never have afforded otherwise. John and his wife Ling, whom he met at Vassar and was also a financial aid recipient, credit Vassar with inspiring them to become Parent Chairs of Annual Giving at Harvard-Westlake—aiming to provide at Harvard-Westlake the same type of transformational educational opportunities that had been afforded to them in college. John references Pat Vrett of Arlington High School (NY), Elizabeth Socolow of Vassar College, and filmmaker Robert Zemeckis as profound life influences.

Jocelyn Medawar has taught English at Harvard-Westlake for more than 30 years. In this episode, Jocelyn speaks about the magic of finally teaching “in-person” again, how to build a community of both levity and trust within her classroom, and also the art of assembling an effective college recommendation letter. Jocelyn also speaks about growing up in Los Angeles and commuting across town to Immaculate Heart High School, before attending Stanford and then joining the Westlake faculty one year before the Harvard-Westlake merger. Jocelyn expresses profound gratitude for her decades of service to HW, not only for the joy and amusement she experiences with students, but also the support she has felt in times of tragedy, including after the death of her late husband Dan in 2013. Jocelyn references Immaculate Heart teachers Carmen Hill, Marian Sharples, and Tony Bruzzese as profound life influences.

Constitutional law professor Kimberly West-Faulcon is the 2022 Kutler Center Scholar in Residence at Harvard-Westlake. In this episode, Kimberly speaks about constitutional interpretation, including what she describes as more contemporary notions of "originalism" and their application to the Second Amendment. Kimberly's previous research and practice relate to education, including "ability grouping and tracking," as well as standardized testing. While Kimberly admits that both were quite beneficial to her own educational outcomes, including earning a full scholarship to Duke University before attending Yale Law School, she also describes how these tools can reinforce both socioeconomic inequality and inaccurate conclusions about human intelligence. Kimberly also describes growing up in North Carolina as the child of educators and public servants, and finding inspiration in the mentorship of Duke professor David Paletz, as well as social justice pioneers like Constance Baker Motley, Charles Hamilton Houston, and Thurgood Marshall. Kimberly takes all of their lessons into the classroom today as the James P. Bradley Professor in Constitutional Law at Loyola Law School.

Wolfgang Puck is a world-renowned chef and restaurateur. In this episode, Wolfgang speaks about the teenage restaurant apprenticeship that changed his life, at L'Oustau de Baumanière in the South of France. It was during this era where Wolfgang also met the late Sidney Poitier, who not only inspired Wolfgang as an actor, but whose friendship evolved into Sidney becoming the godfather to two of Wolfgang's boys. Wolfgang also shares his unique perspective on food and hospitality. To this day, Wolfgang spends mornings at the fish market personally choosing seafood, and evenings at his various restaurants around the world personally greeting guests table by table. On a more pedestrian level, Wolfgang also instructs Eli on how to properly prepare a scrambled egg. Wolfgang references Raymond Thuilier at L'Oustau de Baumanière and actor Sidney Poitier as profound life influences.

Dr. Mark Krieger is Surgeon-in-Chief at Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), where for the past two years he has helped to lead complex conversations and address critical questions about Covid-19 and its risk to kids. As the Omicron surge (hopefully) nears its end in Los Angeles, many of these difficult questions remain top-of-of mind for educators and parents alike. Dr. Krieger also speaks about CHLA's culture and service to Los Angeles, its contributions to transformational evolutions within pediatric brain surgery (Mark's specialty), and how becoming a parent has impacted Mark both as a physician and person. Dr. Krieger also describes his upbringing in Massapequa, Long Island, where he attended public schools before studying philosophy and neuroscience at Harvard and then neurosurgery at Columbia Medical School. Mark references Dr. Stanley Gensler, as well as his family and various educational programs, as profound influences on his life and career.

In the season two finale, The Supporting Cast welcomes former Dodger pitcher Chan Ho Park, who was the first Korean-born player and winningest Asian-born pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. In this episode, Chan Ho speaks about growing up in Gongju, South Korea, and initially playing third base before an encouraging coach convinced him to be a pitcher if he could build "strong legs, and a brave heart." Chan Ho rose to the challenge by sprinting the hills of his childhood street and overcoming the fear of a dark cemetery near his childhood home—a street that is now called "Chan Ho Park Road" and the home now a museum in Chan Ho's honor. Chan Ho also describes first visiting Dodger Stadium in 1992 and despite sitting in the nose bleeds, becoming immediately spellbound by the excitement of the crowd and dreaming he could someday play on that field. Chan Ho had no idea that a little more than two years later, his improbable dream would come true, launching a 17-year Major League career. Chan Ho references childhood coach YoungSae Oh, Dodger owner Peter O'Malley, and Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda as profound life influences.

Actor Dulé Hill is best known for playing Detective "Gus" Guster on the USA series Psych and Charlie Young, personal aid to President Jed Bartlett, on NBC's The West Wing. In this episode, Dulé speaks about growing up in Sayreville, NJ, as the son of Jamaican immigrants, and how exposure to ballet and tap by age 3 set Dulé on a path to starring on Broadway in The Tap Dance Kid at age 10 and the Tony Award-winning Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk while a college student at Seton Hall. Following a successful Broadway run, Dulé moved to Los Angeles to pursue screen acting, but initially struggled to find consistent work and was subsequently dropped by his talent agency. Drawing on the inspiration of educators and mentors, Dulé recommitted himself to acting and fortuitously landed an audition for The West Wing, which changed his life. Dulé cites educators and mentors Dr. Ibrahim Abdul-Malick, William Esper, Savion Glover, and Martin Sheen as profound life influences.

Juliette Kayyem '87 is a CNN National Security Analyst, Harvard Kennedy School professor, Atlantic columnist, and expert in the field of emergency preparedness, consequence management, and risk reduction. As it happens, Juliette joins The Supporting Cast on the day the CDC lifted its indoor and outdoor mask mandate for vaccinated people. For this reason, Juliette was both limited in her time, but also focused on the subject at hand—risk reduction and a new path forward from COVID-19. As a former Department of Homeland Security official in the Obama administration, Juliette has been applying the lessons of counterterrorism in advising mayors, governors, and private-sector leaders on their responses to COVID-19 and strategies to increase vaccination. Juliette also describes growing up in Los Angeles and attending Westlake School for Girls, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School, before a career that evolved from law to academia to journalism to public service. Juliette references many Westlake teachers, including Joannie Parker, King Schofield, Leni Wildflower, and Francine '68 & Walt Werner, as profound educational influences.

In the 2015 film “Woman in Gold,” Ryan Reynolds plays Randy Schoenberg, a 30-something lawyer who takes up the case of a family friend named Maria Altmann, played by Helen Mirren, who is trying to retrieve a painting from Austria that had belonged to her family as a child before it was stolen by Nazis in World War II. While such a matter would not typically receive the attention of Hollywood, this was no ordinary case and no ordinary painting. Authored by the world-famous Gustav Klimt, the painting, known as the “Woman in Gold,” was by the late 1990s regarded as the "Mona Lisa" of Austria. Against all odds, Randy opted to sue the Republic of Austria, citing a little known exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which earned the case international attention, eventually making its way to the United States Supreme Court, where Randy argued the landmark case and won. In this episode, the real Randy Schoenberg '84 tells his story. A native of Los Angeles, Randy attended Harvard School, Princeton University, and USC Law, citing the role of various educators in preparing Randy for his moment on the world stage. Randy references Lee Carlson '50 and James Lander of Harvard School, in addition to Erwin Chemerinsky and Edwin "Rip" Smith of USC Law, as profound educational influences.

Laura Ross is the Associate Head of School at Harvard-Westlake. In this episode, Laura speaks about helping to lead the school through a pandemic, and what it feels like now to watch students and teachers re-enter physical spaces and experience newfound gratitude for the Harvard-Westlake community. Laura also speaks about her upbringing in Santa Barbara, CA, where she attended Crane Country Day, Santa Barbara Middle School, and Santa Barbara High School, all of which greatly influencing how Laura considers schools as families, start-ups, and multifaceted ecosystems where students should be given both the trust and space to find their identities and passions. Laura also describes her long and varied career in schools, from working in college admission at Stanford, Scripps, and Columbia, to her independent school work at Convent of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco, St. Stephens Episcopal in Austin, and Greenhill in Dallas, before arriving at Harvard-Westlake in 2017 to run the upper school. Laura cites Rob Rosenthal of Wesleyan University and Jim Montoya of Stanford University as profound educational influences.

D. B. (Dan) Weiss is co-creator of HBO's Game of Thrones. In this episode, Dan speaks about how Game of Thrones came to be. First, how he and co-creator David Benioff read "A Song of Ice and Fire" and believed they understood how to adapt this complex narrative to the screen. Second, how they convinced author George R. R. Martin and HBO that he and David, who had never run a television series before, had the vision to helm this massive production. Third, finally shooting the pilot, which famously had to be almost entirely re-shot due to flaws in the narrative. But despite it all—Game of Thrones became a worldwide culture phenomenon, with more than 32 million viewers per episode across all platforms by its seventh season. Dan also talks about growing up outside Chicago, attending Wesleyan University and other writing programs, and the profound impact of teachers in encouraging his writing from a young age. Dan aimed to convey this same approach show-running Game of Thrones, keeping clear channels of communication across multiple countries and production teams, recognizing and nurturing talent, and knowing when to suppress ego for the good of the enterprise—a value that he and David Benioff share. Dan credits Winnie Engerman of Highland Park High School and Kit Reed of Wesleyan University as life-changing educational influences.

Aaron Mieszczanski is Director of Admission at Harvard-Westlake School. In this episode, Aaron speaks about his unique year in admission, both the challenge of not being able to welcome families to campus physically, but also the benefits of creating broader points of access through virtual engagement. In describing Harvard-Westlake's approach in evaluating applicants, Aaron is quick to point out that there isn't just one type of student that stands out in a Harvard-Westlake pool. “We seek cultural adds, not cultural fits,” explains Aaron, which this year means welcoming students from 175 zip codes and 250 sending schools across Southern California. Aaron points out how this is made possible by the indispensability of financial aid, which not only enables greater access and diversity, but maximizes the school's excellence. Aaron also speaks about growing up in The Bronx in a family of educators—attending Fieldston, Williams College, and receiving his Masters at Penn—and progressing through admission roles at The Thacher School in Ojai and University High School in San Francisco, before arriving at Harvard-Westlake in 2018. Aaron cites educators Kelvina Butcher of Ethical Culture Fieldston School and Bill McMahon of The Thacher School as profound life influences.

Gray Davis '60 was the 37th Governor of the State of California. In this episode, Governor Davis speaks about growing up in Los Angeles, attending Harvard School in the 1950s, and how a chance encounter with Harvard teacher Nat Reynolds '51 changed the trajectory of his life. Governor Davis also discusses his time at Stanford and Columbia Law before serving in Vietnam, where he earned a Bronze Star. Seeing firsthand how, in his words, low-income minority soldiers bore the brunt of combat in far greater numbers than his white counterparts, Governor Davis was inspired to address this inequality through politics, holding various statewide positions before being elected California Governor in 1998. Lastly, Governor Davis speaks about California's response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the challenges of running a state in crisis, and his trademark stoicism--a trait which aided him through the many highs and lows of politics, including the 2003 recall. Governor Davis cites Nat Reynolds '51 of Harvard School and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley as profound life influences.

Gina Prince-Bythewood is a director and writer whose films include Love & Basketball, The Secret Life of Bees, Beyond The Lights, and most recently, 2020's The Old Guard starring Charlize Theron and Kiki Layne. In this episode, Gina speaks about her beginnings in Pacific Grove, CA, finding motivation through athletics and inspiration through the encouragement of great teachers, leading her to UCLA film school, writing for television, and then a chance to write and direct her first film, Love & Basketball, at just 28. Gina speaks about her love of filmmaking, the intimacy of directing actors and the joy of building character, but also the systemic challenges that Black women like her face in building careers in Hollywood, particularly behind the camera. Having recently accepted a leadership role with the DGA, Gina now finds herself quite encouraged by the conversations occurring around her and what she sees as real progress being made across the industry. New and meaningful directing opportunities are also making their way to Gina, including two upcoming projects—Women of the Movement, a limited series about Mamie and Emmett Till that Gina recently shot in Mississippi; and the Woman King, a historical epic about an all-female military unit starring Viola Davis. Gina references Ellen Coulter of Pacific Grove High School and Ivan Cury of UCLA Film School as profound educational influences.

In 1987, Thomas C. Hudnut took over as head of Harvard School, then an all-boys former military school in Studio City. 26 years later, Tom retired as President of Harvard-Westlake School, a multigender institution featuring 1,600 students spread over two campuses and commonly regarded as one of the finest independent schools in the country. In this episode, Tom shares his perspective on that journey. When he took over in 1987, was Tom aware of a potential merger between Harvard and Westlake? What were the factors that finally led to the joining of these two proud institutions? Once merged, how did Tom set out to create, in his words, “the independent school equivalent of Stanford,” featuring centers of excellence not just within academics and athletics, but also in areas like journalism and the performing arts? Tom also speaks about his childhood in Rochester, New York, as the son of a Presbyterian minister, attending public schools in Rochester before heading to Choate, Princeton, and the Fletcher School at Tufts. Finally, Tom discusses his long and distinguished career in schools, beginning with St. Albans in Washington D.C., followed by stints running Norwood, Branson, Harvard and Harvard-Westlake, and now as a full-time head of school search consultant. Tom cites Canon Charles S. Martin and John Davis of St. Albans School as a profound educational influences.

Bill Whitaker is a featured correspondent on CBS's 60 Minutes, which since its founding in 1968, is widely considered the most successful and venerated news magazine show in the history of broadcast journalism. In this episode, Bill speaks about his long journey to get there, beginning with being raised and educated in the presciently named Media, Pennsylvania. With the help of various educators, Bill's curiosity for history and storytelling led to a fascinating journalistic career, taking him through newsrooms in San Francisco, Charlotte, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beijing; but Bill's keenest insights are saved for his current post in New York on 60 Minutes. What was it like to blow the lid off the opioid epidemic through a 4-episode investigation led by 60 Minutes producer and Harvard-Westlake alumnus Sam Hornblower '97? How did it feel to be at the US Capitol just days after the siege? And how does 60 Minutes inculcate and sustain its unparalleled culture of journalistic excellence? Bill cites Elinor Cadman of Media Elementary School, as well as Robert Huff and Richard Reinitz of Hobart College, as profound educational influences.

In 1978, a 16-year old Pam Shriver upset the #1 women's tennis player in the world, Martina Navratilova, to reach the US Open Women's Final. This improbable showing launched a professional tennis career in which Pam would win an Olympic gold medal in 1988, reach #3 in the world in women's singles, and garner a staggering 22 grand slam doubles titles--20 of them partnering with that same US Open semifinal foe, Martina Navratilova. In this episode, Pam describes growing up a sports lover in Baltimore, MD, Billie Jean King's inspiring example, Martina Navratilova's fearlessness and “growth mindset,” and how a championship playing career migrated into a broadcasting career at ESPN, where she covers grand slam tennis today. In addition to Billie Jean King, Pam cites Marty McKibbin of McDonogh School and congresswoman Jane Harman as inspiring life influences.

Beanie Feldstein '11, whose acting credits include critically acclaimed films like Lady Bird and Booksmart, in addition Broadway's Hello Dolly, was nine years old when Ted Walch cast her in Harvard-Westlake's upper school production of The Sound of Music. This led to a lifelong friendship and mentorship that influences every role Beanie inhabits to this day. In this episode, Beanie also speaks about the unwavering support of her family and friends. Firstly, parents who provided grounding and encouragement from the beginning, as well as her older brother, actor Jonah Hill, who became a profound mentor much later in life. Secondly, her Harvard-Westlake classmates, who remain her closest friends and greatest creative inspirations. Beanie tells the moving story of watching her high school prom date, Ben Platt '11, win a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical in 2017--a moment she had foreshadowed years earlier. In addition to Ted Walch of Harvard-Westlake, Beanie references Anne Gesling of the Morgan-Wixson Theatre and film director Greta Gerwig as profound life influences.