Alumni Spotlight
![Leading Roll: Striking it Big on Your Next Venture]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762965050/potomac/lvawwgrin1lj8wthcfbp/Leading-Roll_1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762965050/potomac/lvawwgrin1lj8wthcfbp/Leading-Roll_1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762965050/potomac/lvawwgrin1lj8wthcfbp/Leading-Roll_1.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1762965050/potomac/lvawwgrin1lj8wthcfbp/Leading-Roll_1.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762965050/potomac/lvawwgrin1lj8wthcfbp/Leading-Roll_1.png","width":1600}])
What makes one startup soar while another stalls? Two veteran investors, Damien Petty ’93 and Stefanie Thomas Martin ’03, reveal the traits in a founder who—rather than a startup’s product, profit, and market fit—can make or break a venture.
![Moving Pictures]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762900727/potomac/wslgldzgutqy8tpbb6gp/DAVIS_Spotlight.jpg","width":1670}])
Davis Guggenheim '79 first broke through with his 2006 film An Inconvenient Truth, which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, and he has since directed acclaimed works such as Waiting for Superman, the Emmy-winning Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie, and Deaf President Now! about the historic protest at Gallaudet University.
![Feature: Family Style]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762879140/potomac/fnlewxhz4q1czw1jpom0/NabilasFeatureImage.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762879140/potomac/fnlewxhz4q1czw1jpom0/NabilasFeatureImage.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762879140/potomac/fnlewxhz4q1czw1jpom0/NabilasFeatureImage.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762879140/potomac/fnlewxhz4q1czw1jpom0/NabilasFeatureImage.png","width":834}])
Michael Farah ’99 left Wall Street to build a Brooklyn restaurant around the flavors of his mother’s table.
![Crossroads: When the Ground Shifts–Navigating Lifequakes with Courage and Clarity]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762983527/potomac/potomac/j1famrjg1aaugusnbm5t/SarahNellWalsh.jpg","width":1816}])
Sarah-Nell Walsh ’97 shares her journey and how she learned to navigate Lifequakes with courage and clarity.
![Currents: Murals of Connection]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1762875214/potomac/i4doldnotsr8mra2auah/CURRENTS_thetermfall2025.jpg","width":2200}])
Ash Samuels ’17 partnered with Upper School students to create artwork that reflects creativity, resilience, and belonging.
![Syllabus: Acts of Service and Connection]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762875763/potomac/rv8uez17ozm4oyeltgd7/ServiceLearning_CAD_IS_Term2025.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762875763/potomac/rv8uez17ozm4oyeltgd7/ServiceLearning_CAD_IS_Term2025.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762875763/potomac/rv8uez17ozm4oyeltgd7/ServiceLearning_CAD_IS_Term2025.png","width":537}])
Joy Webster, director of Service Learning, reflects on the “why” that drives this work, the moments that keep her going, and the profound impact service learning experiences have on our students.
![Traditions: Building Community, Confidence, and Tradition]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1762884920/potomac/potomac/pmgm21qacaf5ul9c8wwb/TRADITIONS_TermFall2025.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1762884920/potomac/potomac/pmgm21qacaf5ul9c8wwb/TRADITIONS_TermFall2025.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1762884920/potomac/potomac/pmgm21qacaf5ul9c8wwb/TRADITIONS_TermFall2025.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1762884920/potomac/potomac/pmgm21qacaf5ul9c8wwb/TRADITIONS_TermFall2025.png","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1762884920/potomac/potomac/pmgm21qacaf5ul9c8wwb/TRADITIONS_TermFall2025.png","width":1474}])
Assemblies have been at the heart of Potomac since the school’s inception. To this day, they build school spirit and identity while offering students an incomparable opportunity to speak and perform in front of a supportive audience.
![Astral Works (Tim Makepeace ’77)]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1747146772/potomac/gyac6fwr8gjnwhrwlrmx/Screenshot2025-05-13at103232AM.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1747146772/potomac/gyac6fwr8gjnwhrwlrmx/Screenshot2025-05-13at103232AM.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1747146772/potomac/gyac6fwr8gjnwhrwlrmx/Screenshot2025-05-13at103232AM.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1747146772/potomac/gyac6fwr8gjnwhrwlrmx/Screenshot2025-05-13at103232AM.png","width":978}])
How artist Tim Makepeace ’77 found his muse in the James Webb Space Telescope.
![Hire_Grounds (Summer Delaney '11)]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1747153998/potomac/m9mnf7v25eox3jsy2gve/SummerDelaney_Hire_grounds.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1747153998/potomac/m9mnf7v25eox3jsy2gve/SummerDelaney_Hire_grounds.png","width":449}])
Through her startup, Summer Delaney ’11 is helping connect big media companies and abundant–but elusive–pools of talent.
![Long Strange Trip (Oteil Burbridge ’79)]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1747146635/potomac/rytg0nkuyet22wtvpkvu/Screenshot2025-05-13at102819AM.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1747146635/potomac/rytg0nkuyet22wtvpkvu/Screenshot2025-05-13at102819AM.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1747146635/potomac/rytg0nkuyet22wtvpkvu/Screenshot2025-05-13at102819AM.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1747146635/potomac/rytg0nkuyet22wtvpkvu/Screenshot2025-05-13at102819AM.png","width":1140}])
The journey of virtuoso bassist Oteil Burbridge ’79 from starving musician to jam-band superstar—and the spiritual awakening that helped him stay on track.
![As a program director at NOAA for more than 12 years and the first female to occupy a leadership position in her division, Libby Jewett ’78 has made it clear: She’s committed to moving the needle on climate change.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1716907928/potomac/havfwe4shayjfrjyrzco/LibbyJewett.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1716907928/potomac/havfwe4shayjfrjyrzco/LibbyJewett.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1716907928/potomac/havfwe4shayjfrjyrzco/LibbyJewett.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1716907928/potomac/havfwe4shayjfrjyrzco/LibbyJewett.png","width":1000}])
![Teddy Nemeroff ’97 is a leader in the complex world of international cybersecurity and technology policy.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1716906451/potomac/oxow4urywzzbaeg1buuh/TeddyNemeroff.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1716906451/potomac/oxow4urywzzbaeg1buuh/TeddyNemeroff.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1716906451/potomac/oxow4urywzzbaeg1buuh/TeddyNemeroff.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1716906451/potomac/oxow4urywzzbaeg1buuh/TeddyNemeroff.png","width":1000}])
![Whether it’s defying the naysayers who try to pigeonhole her into a single musical genre or swerving off a country road to save her life, Alyson Cambridge ’97 has found that following a prescribed path will never be part of her story.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1716474412/potomac/hjlbxufzaqmsxbjaqtfb/AlysonCambridge.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1716474412/potomac/hjlbxufzaqmsxbjaqtfb/AlysonCambridge.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1716474412/potomac/hjlbxufzaqmsxbjaqtfb/AlysonCambridge.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1716474412/potomac/hjlbxufzaqmsxbjaqtfb/AlysonCambridge.png","width":1000}])
![Author and illustrator Jamie Potter ’01 creates stories that spark the imagination of young readers and remind them that they have the ability to adapt and thrive in the face of challenges.]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1699896782/potomac/e1jhgjcf0rmfi24njgw2/WritingWorlds.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1699896782/potomac/e1jhgjcf0rmfi24njgw2/WritingWorlds.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1699896782/potomac/e1jhgjcf0rmfi24njgw2/WritingWorlds.png","width":800}])
![For Grant Hoechst Jackson ’14, flexibility is key. Whether he’s composing and playing music or leading game-design teams at Naughty Dog, Grant maintains an open and agile perspective – empowering himself]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1699896423/potomac/uxodjroapclmxoleumgc/GrantHoechstJackson_1.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1699896423/potomac/uxodjroapclmxoleumgc/GrantHoechstJackson_1.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1699896423/potomac/uxodjroapclmxoleumgc/GrantHoechstJackson_1.png","width":700}])