If you are interested in becoming a class representative or have any questions regarding your class, please email Paula Holmquist or call 816-501-0022.
Find your class representative below.
Alumnae
Once a Star, always a Star!
STA alumnae are proud and numerous – more than 7,000 strong!
STA is excited to welcome alumnae to campus (and virtually) for exciting activities throughout the year. Please consider attending and/or volunteering your time when possible. You’ll love reconnecting with STA and your many classmates!
We welcome your support through the STA Alumnae Association. Your annual fee supports alumnae-related events and activities, and also underwrites numerous freshman scholarships each year.
Let’s stay in touch!
Have you moved, gotten a new job or changed your email address? Let us know! We want to keep you up-to-date on the great things happening at STA!
Become an STA liaison!
Class representatives serve as liaisons between STA and their graduating class. They help us update contact information and news about their classmates, volunteer for alumnae events, and encourage classmates to support the Academy through involvement with students, attendance at STA events, and financial support. These individuals enjoy reaching out to their classmates and strengthening the STA sisterhood.
1948
Barbara Reitz Schweiger
1951
Marilyn Carrigan Fennesy
1952
Susan Cowherd Bradley
1953
Antoinette “Mimi” Kopp Powers
1954
Anita DeFeo Schneider
1955
Rita Hall Cloud
1957
Peggy Gramlich Baker
Sharon O’Connor Potts
1958
Susan Mayer Matney
Kathy DeBlase Scaglia
1959
Gayle Danzo Johnson
1960
Patricia “Pat” Geraghty Clark
1961
Darleen Kerwin Porch
Jill Churchman Wall
Joanne Moyer Kurre
Kathleen O’Connor Lombardo
Ginnie Melzarek Scearce
Michele Bailey Kizer
1962
Cathy Hughes Marx
Julie Trotter
1963
Marjorie Grindinger Lampton
Roberta Lancaster
Betsy Bowes Wooden
1964
1965
Kathy McGinley
Katie McGonigle Daniels
Susan Sullivan Hodes
1966
Carol Hancock Sindelar
1967
Marianne Kelly Sears
Mary Jo Giblin Saviano
1968
Anne Devaney Bergamis
1969
Louanne Hein
1970
Ellen Baty
Molly McCaffrey Gallagher
1971
Kathy Haake Walters
Susan Kratofil Dalton
Jan Stephenson
1972
Molly McGannon Sauder
Michelle Wainstock Salzman
1973
Mary Kay O’Malley
1974
Karen Komoroski
1975
Sylvia Guerra
Mary Heshion McCalla
1976
Patty Haake Herr
Mary Hilboldt Bessenbacher
1977
Nancy Brown Grasse
Debbie Duchardt Conklin
Carol Rost
Paula Schweiger Holmquist
1978
Megan Burke Viviano
Mary Ann Cartella Cappo
Peggy Daly Sparks
Moira Kelly Healy
Kathy Higgins
1979
Susan Cordes Farley
Kathleen Kent McNaghten
Jeanette Ross LePique
1980
Jennifer Keller Petree
1981
Terrill Allen
Kathy Baker Rohr
Tracey Franklin Bradford
Sue Staab Leisman
Mary Lewis Cary
Sheila Lillis
Debbie Lombardino Staab
1982
Colleen Dorrian Egan
Mary Pat Simmons Roewicz
1983
Mary Beth Rice Andersson
Susan Sterner Spence
1984
Maureen Malley O’Toole
Mary Padilla
1985
Amy Latenser
Carol Martin Tracy
1986
Theresa Becker
1987
Wendy Putnam Brooks
Michaela DiDonna
Marion Spence Pierson
1988
Jenny Chapin Woods
Liz Handlen
1989
Bridget Baker
Lisa Gumby Williams
Dana Patterson Nelson
Erica Walton Nunez
1990
Andrea Ways Newman
1991
Amy Blickhan
Andrea Gunn Henderson
Ellen Reiter Klem
1992
Mary Waris Oades
1993
Kate Coughlin Rettig
Melissa Mereghetti
Jenny Craig Karpinski
Susan Oxler Hermes
1994
Megan Clarke Tunley
Melissa Oades Grams
1995
Nikki Jones
Nichelle Renaud
1996
Jill Trozzolo Wuetherich
Amy Aldrich
1997
Colleen McEvoy Schorgl
1998
Beth Brown
Kelli Dowd Kimbrell
Stacy Porto
1999
Jessica Schechter Thomas
Brooke Kuechler Harris
2000
Maggie Coleman Goldborough
Jessica Dotson Hagen
2001
Paloma Juarez
Jean Neenan Launder
Erin Smith O’Laughlin
Mary Stanley
Stephanie Walters
2002
Katie Barry Benge
Teresa Gabhart Durkin
Gwen McGaughey Hoefer
Beth VanDyke Jerome
Kristen Walker
2003
Kate Gibbs
2004
Annie Haden Tweedy
Emily Mulloy Dack
2005
Allison Brown Quinn
Kathleen Musgrave Spiking
2006
Molly Wilkerson Green
2007
Tracy Haden Peterson
Kelly Nelson
2008
Mary Clara Hutchison
2009
Caroline Campbell
Lauren Damico
2010
Anne Schwartz
Jordan Miller Nulton
2011
Maddie Lueke Watts
Anna McTygue
2012
Shannen Freeman
Nicole Kamradt
McLaren O’Rear
Sara Pence
2013
Carrie Hudson Williams
2014
Elena Flores
Katie Tampke
Molly Waris
2015
Sydney Edmonds
Samantha Smith
2016
Mary Catherine Egan
Anna Hafner
Katherine Mediavilla
Kellie O’Toole
Darby Pederson
Maddie Summers
2017
Payton Drummond
Hannah Grant
Claire McCann
Anna Moore
Tess Rellihan
2018
Emilie Blanck
Annabelle Cusumano
Maureen Egan
Maura Graham
Edie Livers
Gabrielle Martinez
Olivia Matlock
Sal Scott
2019
Lizzie Concannon
Maggie Fielder
Gabrielle Mesa
Margaux Renee
2020
Faith Andrews-O’Neal
Liv DeSantis
Dalaney Hupke
Maggie Rowland
2021
Marie Bruck
Ava Fitzgerald
Ava Larson
Emily Majors
Maggie McInerney
2022
Janie Eckles
Ruby Harris
Katie Hart
Sanai Kintchen
Francie McCann
Hattie McLane
2023
Kathryn Brooks
Leah Campo
Elizabeth Givens
Riyan Jones
Georgia Kerrigan
Samantha Lif
2024
Abby Margolin
Olivia Oades
Lydia Solis
Veronica Wilson
Spring 2022 Edition
This issue of Starbeams provides a glimpse into how, guided by our mission, St. Teresa’s Academy impacts the community around us. From students to faculty, to parents, alumnae and friends of the Academy, your impact is felt far and wide.
View the Spring 2022 edition.
Spring 2021 Edition
This edition of Starbeams focuses on empowered women – alumnae, friends and students – who are changing the world through leadership.
View the Spring 2021 edition.
Established in 2009, the St. Teresa’s Academy Distinguished Alumna Award formally recognizes an alumna who has positively and substantially influenced her profession(s), her community(s) or issues affecting society at large. For more information, contact Paula Holmquist.
Stay tuned for the 2025 nomination deadline
2024 Distinguished Alumna Award
Marion (Spence, ’87) Pierson, M.D., has been named the 2024 Distinguished Alumna. Dr. Pierson is a board-certified pediatrician, environmental justice
advocate and avid supporter of community and social enrichment causes.
Dr. Pierson earned her medical degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and performed her internship and residency at Georgetown University Children’s Medical Center. She is an active volunteer in numerous community and civic organizations. Pierson has served on the State of Missouri Health Facilities Review Committee, as chairperson for multiple pediatric departments, and is past president of the medical staff of Saint Luke’s East Hospital in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
Pierson founded EM Medical Products, which develops medical devices for pediatric patients. She owns and operates Elite Care Pediatrics, a concierge medical service that offers direct primary care, an alternative to a traditional pediatric practice.
She was a partner at Village Pediatrics in Prairie Village, Kansas, from 2010-2023 and at Cradle Through College Care on the Carondelet Campus from 2000-2010, where she provided care for thousands of young patients. Pierson is the co-founder and president of MO Hives KC, an organization focused on converting vacant lots into honey bee farms and healthy pollinator spaces throughout urban sites in Missouri. She was named Beekeeper of The Year in 2021 by the Missouri State Beekeepers Association.
In addition to her community contributions, Pierson has given back significantly to STA. In addition to serving as a mentor to current and past STA students, she also served on the STA Board of Directors from 2014-2020, taught a mini surgical practicum at the school, served as guest speaker at STA’s Women’s Symposium, and consulted extensively with students during the development of the school’s apiary (collection of bee houses), the first working apiary at a Kansas City school.
Pierson and her husband Emmet reside in Lee’s Summit. They are the parents of Elexa (’17) Pierson, an agent with the Lakewood, Colorado, police department, and Erris (’19) Pierson, a special education teacher in Lexington, Kentucky. Both are STA alumnae.
“”I am honored to receive the 2024 Distinguished Alumna Award. St. Teresa’s Academy is a very special place to me. The female empowerment aspect of the STA community has been instrumental in my life. I am a proud alumna and eternally grateful.” Dr. Marion Pierson (’87)
Previous Distinguished Alumna Award Recipients
Rosalie (Sullivan, ’82) Buergler, 2022 Distinguished Alumna
Tracie Davidson (’00) Baker, 2021 Distinguished Alumna
Suzanne (Hoag, ’70) Johnson, 2020 Distinguished Alumna
Aileen (Altman, ’62) Richmond, 2019 Distinguished Alumna
Dana (Tippin, ’82) Cutler, 2018 Distinguished Alumna
Susie Haake (’67), 2017 Distinguished Alumna
Peggy (Gramlich, ’57) Baker, 2016 Distinguished Alumna
Teresa (Orpin, ’78) Hamilton, 2015 Distinguished Alumna
Marylyn (Geraghty, ’54) DeFeo, 2014 Distinguished Alumna
Kelly (Crawford, ’88) Friendly, 2013 Distinguished Alumna
Martha (Leahy, ’62) Staker, 2012 Distinguished Alumna
Rosemary O’Leary (’73), 2011 Distinguished Alumna
Patrice (Jo Ann) Coolick, CSJ (’58), 2010 Distinguished Alumna
Martha (Meagher, ’61) Downey, 2009 Distinguished Alumna
Opening bid!
The STA Bridge Stars have been wearing their game faces since 2012. This wonderful group of parents, alumnae, and friends of the Academy meet in Windmoor Center to play bridge on the first Wednesday of every month during the school year. In addition to providing great fun, membership fees fund a scholarship for a deserving young woman at STA.
The STA Bridge Stars have been gathering monthly since 2012 for competitive fun and scholarship funding.
There is more to our story…
A book 150 years in the making. From faith and traditions to sisterhood and academics, uncover a historical perspective of STA complete with unique and intimate details of the Academy since 1866. Our commemorative 150th Anniversary Book is filled with long-forgotten stories and cherished traditions—all combined with never before seen photographs and personal anecdotes.
