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Alumni Award
The New Canaan Country School Alumni Award
This award celebrates and honors graduates who exemplify the mission of our school by leading lives of impact and purpose. We invite you to explore the stories of some of our past winners, who have demonstrated courage, curiosity, kindness and a commitment to making a meaningful difference. The Alumni Award is a reflection of our graduates’ continued dedication to the values instilled in them during their time while at New Canaan Country School.
Some of Our Recent Honorees Include:
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Educator, Environmental Economist, and Social Entrepreneur Jonathan Isham '75
Jonathan Isham, P.h.D., the 2025 honoree, spoke about finding a sense of purpose and his lifelong commitment to driving positive change. -
Justice Lucy Adams Billings '63
Justice Lucy Billings, the 2024 Alumni Award winner, spoke about her lifetime in public service and the importanance of advocating for justice and civil rights. -
Composer Nicholas Britell '96
Nicholas, honored in 2023 for his musical genius, reflected on his time composing film and television scores and following one's passions. -
Patagonia Executive and Environmental Activist Lisa Pike Sheehy ’83
Lisa, the 2022 Alumni Award winner, spoke about her work as an environmental activist and pioneer in advocating for climate awareness. -
Olympic Gold Medalist A.J. Mleczko ’90
A.J., the 2021 honoree, now an ESPN and MSG ice hockey analyst, shared highlights of her career. -
Miami HEAT Business Operations President Eric Woolworth ’80
Eric, the 2020 Alumni Award winner, spoke about his path to the executive office of the Miami HEAT Group and the importance of creating diverse, equitable and inclusive communities. -
Physician Allison Kessler Vear ’00
Allison is an attending physician at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a leading rehabilitation hospital in Chicago, where she specializes in spinal cord injury medicine. -
Teacher and Humanitarian Juliana
Topsy, the 2018 honoree, reflected on the impact her teachers have had in her finding her voice. She emphasizes that finding your voice and developing your self-worth is a lifelong journey.
Alumni Award Recipients
- 2025: Jonathan Isham '75
- 2024: Lucy Adams Billings '63
- 2023: Nicholas Britell '96
- 2022: Lisa Pike Sheehy ’83
- 2021: AJ Mleczko ’90
- 2020: Eric Woolworth ’80
- 2019: Allison Kessler Vear ’00
- 2018: Topsy Post ’66
- 2017: Mo Vaughn ’82
- 2016: G. David Forney ’54
- 2015: Zach Iscol ’94
- 2014: Katherine Ward ’79
- 2013: Liz Barratt-Brown ’74
- 2012: Matt Heineman ’98
- 2011: Rick Ackerly ’60
- 2010: Edward Hoagland ’47
- 2009: Patricia Gates Lynch Ewell ’41
- 2008: Hardy Jones ’58
- 2007: Elizabeth Spelke ’64
- 2006: L. Paul Bremer ’56
- 2005: Edmund L. Resor ’66
- 2004: William A. Shutkin ’80
- 2003: Emily Mead ’41
- 2002: Keith H. Brodie ’54
- 2001: Samuel Sachs ’50
- 2000: Elizabeth S. Crow ’61
- 1999: Hedrick Smith ’47
- 1998: Jonathan B. O’Brien ’53 & Joan Dominick O’Brien ’53
- 1997: Peter Goldmark ’55
New Canaan Country School
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New Canaan Country School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin and are afforded all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or ancestry, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, financial aid policies or any other school-administered programs.