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Bret Snyder ’87 Shares a Leadership Journey Rooted in Curiosity and Resilience at GRIT Talks

Bret Snyder ’87, CEO and President of W.L. Gore & Associates, took the GRIT Talks stage as a featured speaker at the quarterly community event highlighting local leaders and their stories of resilience. In his talk, Bret shared how curiosity, perseverance, and humility can shape a life of impact.
At GRIT Talks, speakers answer seven thoughtfully designed questions in fifteen minutes, weaving together reflections on failure, growth, and the life lessons that lead to meaningful success. Bret shared candid insights from his personal and professional journey, from lessons learned through setbacks to the habits and values that guide his leadership today.
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  • Bret Snyder ’87 Shares a Leadership Journey Rooted in Curiosity and Resilience at GRIT Talks

    Bret Snyder ’87, CEO and President of W.L. Gore & Associates, took the GRIT Talks stage as a featured speaker at the quarterly community event highlighting local leaders and their stories of resilience. In his talk, Bret shared how curiosity, perseverance, and humility can shape a life of impact.
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  • Celebrating National Women and Girls in Sports Day

    On this National Women and Girls in Sports Day, we proudly recognize our WFS girls’ basketball program. 
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  • Jen Rosenberg Keim ’06 Inspires Pre-Med Club with a Career Rooted in Science, Service, and Compassion

    When Jen Rosenberg Keim ’06 returned to campus to speak with the upper school Pre-Med Club, she shared the experiences that shaped her path from a WFS student passionate about science and social justice to her current role as a pediatrician and Medical Director of the ACTION (All Children Thrive In Our Neighborhood) Foster Care Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. 
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  • Reunited in Courage: Two Trailblazing Alumnae and Their Coach, United by Leadership, Service, and Legacy

    Stephanie Bonnes ’04 (left) and Colleen Farrell ’04, former teammates on the WFS baseball team under Coach Bob Tattersall in 2003 and 2004, reunited with their coach at the Yale–Harvard football game. 
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  • Abby VandenBrul ’20

    Abby VandenBrul ’20 (far right) graduated from Penn State University with a degree in stage management and is currently working as a Production Assistant on the Broadway musical Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). 
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  • Ashley Chompre ’20

    When Ashley Chompre ’20 returned to campus to speak with the upper school STEMinists Club, she described the curiosity-driven path that led her from WFS to her current role as a software engineer at Netflix.
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  • Bruce P. Baganz ’69

    Earlier this year, WFS honored Bruce P. Baganz ’69 as the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, recognizing his lifelong dedication to learning, leadership, and the arts.
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  • TyLisa C. Johnson ’13

    Award-winning journalist and poet TyLisa C. Johnson ’13 was recently recognized with the 2025 Wilmington Friends School Distinguished Alumni Award for her exceptional contributions to journalism, community storytelling, and social impact.
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  • Nathaniel Huxtable ’22

    “Wilmington Friends School prepared me to get the job done. Whatever task it may be, I am not afraid to take it on and give it my fullest effort. The worst you can do is learn. My WFS education also instilled the Quaker values such as integrity and stewardship through example and engagement, both in the classroom and in the community. I also learned the importance of asking questions not only to learn but to challenge others to do the right thing regardless of what it looks like.”
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  • Lauren Kerrigan ’13

    “It’s the Quaker ‘I to I’ philosophy that I hold so dearly to my heart, that helped prepare me for life after high school. It taught me to approach every person as an equal — to truly listen, understand, and connect without judgment. Its foundation is deep rooted in relationships and respect and it has helped prepare me for a career in Veterinary Medicine.”
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  • Laura Wolf ’07

    “I believe in empowering students and educators alike by fostering collaboration, self-advocacy, and inclusive practices that help every individual reach their fullest potential. WFS laid the foundation for my philosophy of inclusion and collaboration, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
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  • Barbara Bovbjerg ’68

    “Watch the faculty, not just the ones in your best subjects! And, of course, the staff. They all have something to teach you, regardless of their position at the school.”
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  • Jesse Miller ’14

    “WFS taught me how to work through interpersonal issues starting in Pre-K. Those lessons have stayed with me and shaped how I handle challenges in every setting since.”
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  • Arlene Spezzaferro ’93

    “I attended WFS from Pre-K until graduation, and respect for all people was a central tenant to my education.  It frames how I see the world, build relationships, and this inclusive mindset has helped me be successful in so many parts of my life.”
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  • Willow Pearson Trimbach ’88

    “Cultivation of sitting in silence, listening to the voices of spirit within and around me, through meeting for worship. This foundational contemplative practice, which led me to Buddhism, Integral Spirituality and beyond, is the basis of my music, psychotherapy, and teaching.”
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  • Miles Katzen ’16

    “Wilmington Friends School provided me with the foundation for understanding what a community truly is. My teachers, coaches, and classmates helped me learn that a community is not necessarily a physical space but a feeling where everyone is valued and has a sense of belonging. Most importantly, my time at Friends formed my core belief that there is light in everyone and that every human being deserves to live a life of dignity.” 
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  • Osi Chukwuocha ’22

    “I believe my time at WFS prepared me for success at CWRU both academically and athletically. Academically, the high rigor of WFS courses like AP Physics gave me a great foundation coming into CWRU. However, I think the most effective tool I learned from WFS was building relationships with teachers. Building relationships with teachers at CWRU has helped me monumentally with assignments and exams.”
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  • Manny Adebi ’20

    “My experience at Wilmington Friends School set me up for success by providing challenging coursework that required critical thinking. Learning how I learned and figuring out a process that worked for me was one of the most important things because regardless of what you want to major in or what sport you want to play at a higher level, you will need to learn the information and how to apply it when it is necessary. Friends helped me facilitate my learning process, and I’ve continued to adapt and improve it based on the situation.”

     
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  • Jocelyn Nathan ’23 Wins the National Championship!

    Congratulations to Jocelyn Nathan ‘23 and the Penn State University women’s volleyball team on winning the National Championship! In their 3-1 victory over the University of Louisville this afternoon, Nathan recorded a career-high ten digs.

    Jocelyn is pictured with her parents, Len and Lynne, and sisters, Dani ‘19 (bottom left) and Alyssa ‘17.

    Great work, Jocelyn!
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  • Madeline Rowland ’23

    “My experience at Wilmington Friends School taught me the importance of time management, resilience, and community. Academically, the rigorous curriculum helped me develop my critical thinking skills, intellectual curiosity, and the habits to handle complex material, all of which have equipped me with the tools to excel at Williams.”

     
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Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.