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Viking Vantage

Columbus Academy alumni are proud to represent their alma mater across the country and around the world. Viking Vantage gives current students and our community insight into a variety of fields that our alumni are thriving in, while also taking a look back at their Academy experience.

Ed Carter '96

Ed Carter '96 • Partner, Jones Day

Ed is a 2022 Columbus Academy Athletic Hall of Fame inductee, having earned seven varsity letters at Academy as a four-sport athlete in cross country, football, basketball and tennis. After starting all four years on the tennis team at Arizona State, Ed continued his playing career as a professional where he participated in several doubles contests at the US Open and finished ranked in the top 600 in the world. He later attended law school at the University of Texas at Austin, then returned to Columbus where he is currently Partner at Jones Day. His brother Matt Carter '00 teaches Upper School social studies and his mother Susan Carter retired from Academy last year after serving the school for 35 years.

Learn more about Ed
Ted Lin '00

Ted Lin '00 • CEO & Co-Founder, Stonehaven Structures

After graduating from Columbus Academy in 2000, Ted attended Georgetown University where he received a BSBA in Finance and International Business. Ted’s interest in this degree stemmed from an economics class taught by John Exline ’64 during his senior year. Ted lived overseas for many years, specifically in Singapore, and is now back in Columbus as the CEO and Co-Founder of Stonehaven Structures. Ted’s daughter Beverly is a sixth-grader and his older sister Teresa, who is also an Academy graduate from the Class of 1997, lives in New York.

Learn more about Ted
Dr. Brittany Bean '93 and family

Dr. Brittany Bean '93 • Clinical Audiologist at Department of Veteran Affairs Ambulatory Care Center

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Brittany earned her bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University, master’s from The Ohio State University and medical degree from A.T. Still University. A lifelong learner, Dr. Bean was drawn to audiology after learning about the complexities of language development throughout college. She credits all of her science classes at Academy for cultivating an interest in the medical field that would allow her to help others. Brittany met her husband Carter Bean ’93 at Academy and they have a daughter Harper who is in the Class of 2027. Her brother Carter Kistler ’15 is also a proud Viking alumnus.

Learn more about Dr. Bean
Ryan Wheeler '10

Ryan Wheeler '10 • Associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

After graduating from Academy in 2010, Ryan earned his bachelor’s degree in business management and leadership from Miami University then received a J.D. from Capital University Law School. After a brief stint as the assistant prosecuting Attorney in Franklin County, Ryan began his current role at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. Ryan knew he wanted to be an attorney as early as sixth grade and credits the parents of his Academy friends and classmates who worked in the legal profession and offered him guidance.

Learn more about Ryan

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Kelly Hondros '06

Kelly Hondros '06 • VP at Hondros Family of Companies

After graduating from Academy, Kelly played Division I field hockey at the University of Iowa and later graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in arts and science with a minor in international relations and diplomacy. She eventually received a J.D. from Capital University Law School. As the current VP at Hondros Family of Companies, Kelly serves as president of the Hondros Family Foundation and also the owner of Verdant Creations, Purpose Leaf and Motive CBD. These are all a collection of family owned and operated businesses, with a central office in Westerville. Kelly credits her Columbus Academy teachers for giving her "the strength of mind and ability to research and analyze. It was the overall curriculum that led me to make the (professional) decisions I did about what I wanted to do."

Learn more about Kelly
John Bloch '92

John Bloch '92 • President, Michael's Finer Meats and Seafoods

After graduating from Columbus Academy, John earned his bachelor's degree from Northwestern University and worked for The Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) in Chicago. His favorite part was working with people, helping them find solutions and providing value. John is currently the President of Michael's Finer Meats and Seafoods. He also has three children, two of which are students at Academy in seventh and fifth grade.

Learn more about John
Dr. Scott Gurwin '82

Dr. Scott Gurwin '82 • Board Certified Podiatrist, Co-President of Foot & Ankle Specialists of Central Ohio

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Dr. Gurwin earned his bachelor’s degree from Emory University and graduated from with honors from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine. A lifelong learner, Dr. Gurwin is board certified by The American Board of Food and Ankle Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association as well as the Ohio Podiatric Medical Association. Dr. Gurwin has been practicing in the Newark and Gahanna area since 1992. A proud Academy alumnus, Dr. Gurwin has recently retired from our Alumni Board after a six-year term, where he also served as president. He has two sons: Michael, who graduated from Academy in 2014, and Joey, a rising senior.

Learn more about Dr. Gurwin
Jay Canowitz '84

Jay Canowitz '84 • President of Ives & Associates

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Jay earned a B.A. from Miami University and J.D. from University of Cincinnati College of Law. Jay has been in the executive search profession for over 30 years and is currently the president of Ives & Associates, an executive search firm in Columbus. In his free time, Jay enjoys traveling with his wife and playing pickleball with friends. He is also a member of the Columbus Academy Alumni Board and will be celebrating his 40th class reunion this fall during Alumni Weekend.

Learn more about Jay
Mandy Mallott '03

Mandy Mallott '03 • Director, Ohio State Early Investor Network

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Mandy earned a B.A. from Case Western University, as well as two degrees from The Ohio State University including a J.D. from the Moritz College of Law and a Master’s of Public Policy and Management from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. 

A lifelong learner, Mandy has extensive experience in public sector roles here in Columbus and Washington, D.C. She is the inaugural director of the Ohio State Early Investor Network, which provides early stage capital and strategic vision to companies associated with Ohio State and accredited investors. Mandy is also the current president of the alumni board and serves as an assistant coach with our varsity swimming and diving team.

This past spring, Mandy was named to the Columbus Business First “40 under 40” program, which recognizes the brightest young community leaders.

Learn more about Mandy
Dick Watman '72

Dick Watman '72 • Retired CISA, CISM

After graduating from Columbus Academy in 1972, Dick went on to attend college in Washington D.C. before leaving to work at The Columbus Dispatch. During that time, Dick decided to return to college and study business at The Ohio State University where he earned a bachelor's degree before receiving his M.B.A. in accounting. He went on to a career in information technology audit where he worked within internal audit divisions and did consulting work with companies, handling various fraud situations along the way. Dick's work took him throughout North America and across the globe to Brazil, Britain, Italy, South Africa and Venezuela, to name a few. Dick credits all of the classes and experiences he had during his time at Columbus Academy. "I think I was successful due to my curiosity, a strong sense of right and wrong, and an ability to connect seemingly disparate pieces of information from across organizations to tell a unified and coherent story. I developed personal discipline, integrity, strong writing skills and persuasiveness. The foundation for this came from CA."

Learn More about Dick Watman
Lindsey Halsey '02

Lindsey Halsey '02 • AVP of State Product Management, General Motors Insurance Group

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Lindsey earned a B.A. in mathematics from Otterbein College. She then pursued the field of actuarial science and landed her first job in pension consulting at Mercer Human Resources Consulting. Lindsey then moved into working in property and casualty insurance pricing at State Auto Insurance, where she also completed her actuarial exams. Her passion for problem solving and guiding data driven business decisions is the reasoning behind this career pursuit. Lindsey currently serves as the AVP of State Product Management at General Motors Insurance Company. She and her husband Brent ’02, who is our director of technology, have two children who attend Academy, Caitlin ’31 and Quentin ’36.

Learn more about Lindsey
Bob Eckhart '87

Bob Eckhart '87 • Fulbright Scholar at the Pedagogical State University of Chisinau in Moldova

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Bob earned a B.S. in business administration and economics from Miami University, M.A. in comparative cultural studies and J.D. from The Ohio State University where he taught in the English department for over 20 years and was a mentor/tutor in the athletic department. An international educator, Bob has taught in multiple colleges as a Fulbright Scholar, including his current stop at the Pedagogical State University of Chisinau in Moldova. Bob is also involved with Professors Without Borders where he coaches students on cross-cultural communication, soft skills and entrepreneurship. This opportunity has allowed him to lead short courses at universities in Uganda, Nigeria and Turkey. He also collaborated with Maurice Clarett to write the 2019 book, “One and Done: How My Life Started When My Football Career Ended,”an autobiography of the former Ohio State running back and 2002 NCAA football national champion.

Learn more about Bob
Anil Patel '06

Anil Patel '06 • Associate General Counsel, UnitedHealth Group

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Anil earned a B.A. in English language and literature from DePauw University, where he also played four years on the Tigers’ varsity tennis team. He then went on to obtain a J.D. from Capital University Law School. Now as an attorney, Anil credits Academy with helping him develop critical problem-solving skills that assist in tackling challenges on a daily basis. “The variety of classes and engaging teachers fostered and cultivated an attitude to be able to tackle any challenge. I believe this was an instrumental part of helping to discover my eventual path.”

Learn more about Anil
Blythe Coons '97

Blythe Coons '97 • Executive Speech & Communication Coach, Articulation, Inc.

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Blythe earned a B.A. in English while playing field hockey at Haverford College. She later pursued a M.F.A. in acting at Rutgers University, concurrently earning a M.A. in English literature from Middlebury College. Following her work with various regional theater companies along the East Coast, Blythe returned to Columbus in 2016 to join Spillman Company. Most recently, she became the executive speech and communication coach at Articulation, Inc., where she recently co-authored the book, “The Motivated Speaker: Six Principles to Unlock Your Communication Potential.” She is also a member of our Alumni Board and serves as board chair for The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio. Blythe’s family has a longstanding legacy at Academy, beginning with her father Ted ’68, followed by her uncles Richard ’72 and Rex ’74, brother Ted ’94 and sister Margaret ’10.

Learn more about Blythe
Dr. Larry Turton '72

Dr. Larry Turton '72 • Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Ohio State's Department of Emergency Medicine & Residency Program

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Larry earned a B.A. in field biology and zoology from Ripon College. He then attended the Midwestern College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery in Chicago and completed a residency in emergency medicine at Toledo Hospital and St. Vincent Trauma Center. 

After 40 years practicing administrative and clinical emergency medicine in Ohio, he is now an assistant professor in emergency medicine at The Ohio State University Department of Emergency Medicine and Residency Program. He is a residency-trained and board-certified specialist in emergency medicine with 42 years of practice experience and is a fellow in the American College of Emergency Medicine.

Larry resides in New Albany with his wife of 44 years and has two sons, Joe and Bob ’01. He has two other family connections in brother Jeff ’70 and father Bob ’47.

Learn more about Dr. Turton
Nick Jones '01

Nick Jones '01 • VP of Community Wellness at Nationwide Children's Hospital

Through his work as the Vice President of Community Wellness at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Nick Jones ’01 P’34 has a passion for helping families thrive, Nick has dedicated his career to advancing population health initiatives. After graduating from Columbus Academy, Nick received a B.A. from The College of Wooster, as well as an M.B.A. and J.D. from Capital University. As an active member of our Alumni Board, Nick notes that, “Academy is a special place where you’re able to foster a love for learning and, if you are so fortunate, develop friendships that will carry through adulthood.”

Learn more about Nick
Katie Walker '02

Katie Walker '02 • Merchandising at Victoria's Secret & Co.

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Katie attended Kenyon College where she obtained her B.A. in sociology and was a standout three-sport athlete in basketball, track & field and volleyball. At Kenyon, Katie was a three-time All-American and school record holder for the long jump in both indoor and outdoor track & field, and was named North Coast Athletic Conference Sprinter of the Year in 2006. These accomplishments as a collegiate student-athlete helped earn her induction into the Kenyon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024, this after becoming a member of the Columbus Academy Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. Following graduation from Kenyon, Katie helped coach volleyball at Academy and went on to work at Abercrombie & Fitch, DSW and Zulily, before taking her current job in merchandising with Victoria’s Secret. Katie’s family legacy at Academy includes her uncle James ’68, dad Charlie ’69, sister Allison ’04 and brother Carlton ’06.

Learn more about Katie
Ali Haque '01

Ali Haque '01 • Associate General Counsel, Enterprise Litigation Team for USAA

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Ali earned a B.A. in economics from Vassar College before moving to New York where he worked as a paralegal at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP & Affiliates. While there, he learned firsthand how lawyers approach their work and help clients, which convinced him to pursue his law degree. Ali then moved back home to Columbus where he gradated from Ohio State’s Moritz College of Law and has since spent nearly 15 years as a corporate litigator representing companies in cases across the country. Ali also serves on our Alumni Board and the board for the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation.

Learn more about Ali
Meredith Levine '99

Meredith Levine '99 • Principal Consultant, The Gadol Group

After graduating from Columbus Academy, Meredith attended Tulane University where she earned B.S. and B.A. degrees. While at Tulane, she was introduced by Academy classmate Bill Rahe '91 to the school's head athletic trainer and began an assistantship with the program. Meredith then went on to work in community relations for a few different NBA teams, including the New Orleans Hornets (now Pelicans) before Hurricane Katrina caused the franchise to make a temporary move to Oklahoma City. During a visit to Columbus, Meredith happened to see former Academy Headmaster John Mackenzie who encouraged her to apply for the open director of alumni relations position, which she eventually was hired for two months after moving to Oklahoma City. Meredith worked for three years at Academy before moving on to other development roles with independent schools in and around Washington, D.C. Meredith is also a member of our Alumni Board and helps with class engagement during All Day 4 CA. She and her husband, Nathaniel Grossman, are parents of a rising kindergartner at Academy.

Learn more about Meredith
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Columbus Academy is one of the premier coeducational country day schools in the United States and continues to provide students age 3 through grade 12 from throughout Central Ohio with an exceptional academic education and a wide array of extracurricular opportunities.

Non-Discrimination Policy
Columbus Academy encourages and welcomes applications from students, faculty and staff without regard to race, gender, creed, sexual orientation, religion, physical handicap or national origin and does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, financial aid programs and school-administered extracurricular programs.

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