On Tuesday, January 28, both the middle school and high school campuses came together as one community to celebrate Chaminade’s 35th annual Founders Day, a special occasion dedicated to recognizing individuals whose dedication and service have significantly contributed to the school’s growth and success.

Founders Day recognizes the invaluable contributions of staff, volunteers, and generous supporters who uphold Chaminade’s mission. This tradition fosters gratitude and community, reflecting the school’s Marianist values.

This year’s celebration, led by Fr. Mike Chiuri, S.M., honored Michael Evans, Mike Gamble, Derreatha Juarez, Joseph Norton III ’88 † (honored posthumously, with his wife, Tracy Norton, accepting the award on his behalf), Paul Sauter, and Robert S. Webb for 25 years of dedicated service to Chaminade:

Founders Day serves as a time of reflection and appreciation for those who have shaped Chaminade’s enduring legacy. By continuing this tradition, the school reaffirms its commitment to faith, service, and leadership, ensuring the spirit of its founders lives on for generations to come.

Founder Day Honorees

Michael Evans was born and raised in Southern California. Until he was six years old, his family lived in a house on Lassen Street, a short distance from the Chaminade middle school campus. Mike attended Royal High School in Simi Valley then California State University Northridge before earning a Bachelor of Science degree from Azusa Pacific University. In 2018, he earned a California Master Catechist Certificate to further his ability to teach religious studies.

Mike first came to Chaminade in 1992 to coach the boys’ junior varsity soccer team. This led him to pursue a teaching career and introduced him to lifelong friend and fellow soccer coach, retired West Hills math teacher Bernie Chin. Mike joined the middle school faculty in 1999 and has taught 8th grade religion ever since. He also co-moderates the WEB program and Taylor Swift Club and runs the Soccer Chat Club. In 2019, the middle school faculty honored Mike with the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade Award.

Mike is in his 28th year of coaching soccer and 4th year of coaching both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams. As a varsity coach at Chaminade, Mike has won six CIF championships: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2013, and 2020. He has also been named CIF Coach of the Year six times.

Mike met his wife Debbie through the family of Amanda Wilkerson ’03, and they married in 2003. Mike and Debbie have three children: Rylie ’22, Matthew ’24, and Camille ’26. Outside of work, Mike enjoys watching his son play soccer for LAFC and spending time with his family and fourgolden retrievers.

Mike credits Chaminade’s family spirit and his supportive colleagues for making it a joy to serve this school community, in which his children have been raised. He reflects that while the saying “find something you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life” isn’t entirely true, every day at Chaminade has been rewarding.

Mike Gamble started working at Chaminade in 1999 and was to be named a Founder at last year’s ceremony. Health issues prevented him from accepting the honor, which he later received in May 2024.

Mike was born in Santa Monica and grew up in Westwood. The youngest of five siblings, he attended St. Paul the Apostle School in Westwood and St. Monica’s High School in Santa Monica. Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts in English literature at Loyola Marymount University.

A dedicated and beloved high school English teacher, Mike loved working with young people, introducing them to the enduring relevance of Shakespeare and helping them find their own voices as thinkers, writers, and citizens of the world. Mike always wanted his students to feel seen and heard as the unique people they are. His classroom was a place of great laughter, guided by Mike’s own inimitable wit.

Mike served as an assistant director in Chaminade’s Link program for many years, committed to the effort to make every new student feel at home at Chaminade. Mike was also the advisor of the yearbook program for several years, guiding a staff of students in the creation of the Aerie. Throughout his 25 years in the English department, Mike has been a cherished and supportive colleague. His encyclopedic knowledge of British literature and history never failed to amaze and inspire, and his humor was legendary.

Outside of work, Mike is a music enthusiast who collects British classic rock albums and rare memorabilia. He is also a student of local Los Angeles history with a vast knowledge of the city’s ever-changing landscape, legendary landmarks, and bygone places.

Derreatha Juarez was born in Manhattan, NY, and moved to Southern California as a child when her father’s job at CBS brought the family to Northridge. She attended Louisville High School in Woodland Hills and then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English, College Counseling, and Catholic School Administration.

Derreatha taught at Our Lady of Lourdes in Northridge and at California State University Northridge, Moorpark College, Pierce College, and Glendale College. Interested in teaching at the high school level, Derreatha came to Chaminade in 2000. During her time here, Derreatha has taught English and chaired the department. She also served as a counselor and as the director of counseling. Last fall, Derreatha was named vice principal of faculty and instruction.

Outside of work, Derreatha enjoys spending time with her family. She has two children, both Chaminade alumni: Derron ’06 and Julea ’08. Derron and his wife Julianne have two young daughters, Andrea (3) and Kendall (1.5). Julea and Patrick are expecting a daughter this May.

As an English teacher and counselor, and now as an administrator, Derreatha enjoys creating learning environments where students can thrive. She values Chaminade’s Catholic identity and Marianist Characteristics, which influence her work and inspire her to continue serving the school community. Most especially, Derreatha appreciates the positive impact Chaminade has had on her own children.

Joseph Norton III ’88 † first arrived at Chaminade in 1985 from New Jersey by way of Oklahoma for the second semester of his freshman year. The following year, he joined the football team, and for three years, he played fullback and linebacker. Like his younger brothers, Brian ’92, Kevin ’94, and John ’98, he wore #49.

After graduating from Chaminade in 1988, Joe earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science at the University of San Diego, where he played football through his junior year. He eventually earned a Master of Arts in Catholic School Administration at Loyola Marymount University.

In 1993, Joe returned to Chaminade as an assistant football coach and as a substitute teacher at the middle school. He then taught for one year at St. Bernardine, where his mother Kathy also taught, before joining the middle school faculty in 1995. After four years, Joe left to teach at Frost Middle School in Granada Hills before returning to Chaminade in 2010, where he served until his death in January 2024.

During his time at Chaminade, Joe coached, taught science and history, and was an assistant dean and assistant director of athletics. Known as the “Voice of Chaminade,” Joe served as the public address announcer during football games alongside his father, also named Joe.

Joe and his wife Tracy sent their daughters Gillian ’17 and Brianna ’20 to Chaminade. In 2016, the middle school faculty honored Joe with the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade Award. In 2022, the Chaminade announcer booth was named in honor of the Norton Family, and in 2024, Joe was posthumously inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.

Paul Sauter was born in Panorama City and graduated from Bishop Alemany High School. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology at California State University Northridge. After playing football for one season in Vienna, Austria, Paul returned to CSUN to obtain a master’s degree.

While Paul was working at Notre Dame High School, Chaminade president Rob Webb, then the high school athletic director, hired him to teach biology and coach football.

Paul currently teaches AP environmental science and AP research. He was chair of the science department and has taught various science courses, including AP biology and chemistry. Paul also coached football for 15 years, contributing to the team’s state championship, two CIF semifinals, and three league championships. He has moderated the BBQ Club, Bowling Club, International Culture Club, Environmental Eagles, and his personal favorite, the Dungeons & Dragons Club. In 2019, the high school faculty honored Paul with the Blessed William Joseph Chaminade Award.

Paul enjoys working alongside his wife Maureen, a world history teacher at Chaminade. They have one son, Luke ’25. Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his cat Ori, who he found at Chaminade. He likes biking, gardening, camping, playing Dungeons & Dragons, and listening to jazz. Paul also has a fondness for raising chickens, growing food, and taking naps in hammocks.

Chaminade is special to Paul because it is the community in which his son has grown up. He loves teaching and has enjoyed sharing his sense of wonder for the world with Chaminade students for the past 25 years.

Robert S. Webb was born and raised in Southern California. He graduated from Los Angeles Lutheran High School and then earned a bachelor’s degree in communications and marketing at California State University Northridge. He also has a master’s degree in education administration from Azusa Pacific University.

Rob began his career as a teacher and basketball coach at Bishop Alemany High School. He came to Chaminade in 1998 to serve as the high school athletic director. He also coached, taught, and served as chair of the health and physical education department. Rob left Chaminade in 2002 to work at The Webb Schools in Claremont, CA. He returned in 2004 to serve as the director of development and then vice president for institutional advancement. In 2014, Rob was appointed the fifth president of Chaminade College Preparatory. During Rob’s time at Chaminade, the school has raised over $36 million and added more than 125,000 square feet of learning, performing arts, and athletics space.

As vice president for institutional advancement, Rob shaped the office into a comprehensive operation responsible for fundraising, external communications, marketing, and enrollment management. He has helped lead three successful capital campaigns and created Chaminade’s international student program. Rob was also instrumental in the development of the Chaminade Center for Excellence.

As president, Rob has more than doubled Chaminade’s endowment and added real estate to the school’s portfolio. Under his leadership, in 2018, Chaminade negotiated the purchase of a 5-acre commercial property across from the high school campus. This allowed for the creation of an ambitious master plan to serve future students. Rob also champions the accessibility of a Chaminade education by working with the school’s Board of Directors and advancement and finance teams to annually award over $6.3 million in financial aid and merit scholarships.

Rob and his wife Sarah, a school psychologist, have two sons who graduated from Chaminade: Luke ’18 and Jater ’20. Outside of work, he enjoys fishing, hiking, gardening, reading, and watching basketball.

Rob credits his long tenure at Chaminade to his belief in the school’s Catholic Marianist mission. He is inspired by his colleagues, Chaminade’s Marianist Educators, who dedicate their professional lives to forming our students into faith-filled young adults. Rob is especially grateful for the positive impact this school community has had on his sons.

On Saturday, January 25, Chaminade proudly celebrated the outstanding achievements of four alumni at the annual Alumni Hall of Fame event, held at the Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts on the West Hills campus. The evening honored Kent Berridge ’75, Lily Nabet ’17, Blake Rutherford ’16, and Sean Walsh ’81 for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.

For nearly four decades, Chaminade has honored alumni who exemplify athletic excellence, leadership, and the Marianist values that define the school’s mission. In 2016, the school combined the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame and the Distinguished Alumni Association into the Alumni Hall of Fame, a tradition that continues to grow, recognizing graduates for their professional achievements and service to their communities.

Honorees

Kent Berridge ’75 is a James Olds Distinguished University Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he teaches and runs a research lab examining how dopamine and other brain systems control desire, pleasure, appetite, and addiction. Kent is well-known in the field for being the co-creator of the incentive-sensitization theory of addiction with his colleague Terry Robinson. Honored by the American Psychological Association for his substantial achievements, Kent was a Guggenheim Fellowship recipient. He was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.

Lily Nabet ’17 was the girls’ soccer program captain and MVP for three of her four years at Chaminade and earned All CIF Southern Section and First Team honors in her senior year. After Chaminade, Lily was recruited by Duke University in North Carolina to play soccer, where she majored in sociology. She was a walk on her first year. By senior year, she co-captained the team, and the Blue Devils made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I women’s soccer tournament. With an extra year of eligibility due to COVID, Lily earned her master’s at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and again led her team to the NCAA Division I tournament quarterfinals and was named to the 2021 ACC Academic Honor Roll. Lily was drafted in 2022 and plays midfielder in the National Women’s Soccer League for Angel City FC.

Blake Rutherford ’16 played varsity baseball all four years while at Chaminade, hitting .435 with 15 home runs. He earned the recognition of All Mission League three of his four years and was CIF Southern Section Division I Player of the Year and Daily News Player of the Year. He was selected to the 15U National Team in 2012 and the 18U National Team in 2014 and 2015, where his team competed and won gold. He was also chosen to compete in the Under Armor All-American Game at Wrigley Field in Chicago and the Perfect Game All-American Game in San Diego. Right out of high school, Blake was drafted in the first round of the MLB draft by the New York Yankees. He played for Yankee farm teams and finished his first professional season batting .351 with three home runs and 12 RBIs in 33 games. Halfway through 2017, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox, where he played through 2021. He had 11 home runs, 43 RBIs, and seven stolen bases this time. He made his MLB debut August 4, 2023 with the Washington Nationals after hitting 330 in AA and AAA.

Sean T. Walsh ’81 is Principal at Wilson Walsh George Ross. He started his path to leadership at Pierce College, where he earned his AA degree and served as student body president. He transferred to UCLA and became involved in an internship program, which led him to the White House, where he interned in the press office of then-Vice President George H.W. Bush in the Reagan White House and traveled with President Reagan in the United States. He was promoted to assistant press secretary, was a presidential spokesman, and traveled worldwide when Bush was elected president. After the White House, Sean returned to California. He was Deputy Chief of Staff and Press Secretary for Governor Pete Wilson and Senior Policy Advisor for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sean continues to run his firm and advises companies and individuals on government, public policy, and crisis management

The Alumni Hall of Fame event was a night of inspiration, reflecting on the impact of Chaminade graduates who have excelled in their professions and continue to embody the school’s values, reinforcing the legacy of excellence that defines Chaminade College Preparatory.

The Chaminade Players are thrilled to bring the newly released Hadestown: Teen Edition to the Marilyn Simons stage at the Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts this March 2025. With book, music, and lyrics by Tony and Grammy award-winning composer Anaïs Mitchell, this extraordinary folk opera promises a captivating and soulful theatrical experience for audiences of all ages.

Hadestown: Teen Edition weaves two intertwining love stories: the young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice and the relationship of King Hades and Lady Persephone. Inspired by classic American folk music and vintage New Orleans jazz, the story invites audiences on a journey through the underworld and back, creating a rich tapestry of sound and emotion. This sung-through musical pits industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love.

The production will be led by Chaminade’s acclaimed Drama Director, Yvette L. Bishop, alongside Music Director Anthony Zediker, Choreographer Michelle Elkin, and Set/Lighting Designer Jeff McLaughlin. “We are honored to have the opportunity to bring this remarkable story to our community in this new post-Broadway version carefully modified for our high school performers,” says Bishop.

Together, this creative team will deliver an unforgettable theatrical experience that will touch hearts and inspire minds while mentoring students in technical theater, costume design, and other behind-the-scenes roles, providing invaluable hands-on experience and fostering the next generation of creative talent.

The Chaminade Players, the award-winning theater group of Chaminade College Preparatory, are known for their excellence in the performing arts. Combining the talents of actors and technicians, the group produces full-scale plays and musicals while offering students hands-on experience in stagecraft alongside industry professionals. The Players also participate in DTASC festivals, the Jerry Herman Awards, Spotlight, and YoungArts.

Performance Schedule:

• Evening Shows: March 14, 15, 21, and 22 at 7:30 PM
• Matinees: March 16 and 23 at 2:00 PM
  Tickets will be available at a later date. Please visit chaminade.org for updates.

Hadestown: Teen Edition is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. Learn more at concordtheatricals.com.

The Trinity-Mission League Showcase, originally scheduled for January 10, 2025, has been rescheduled to February 1, 2025, at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

This decision comes in light of the ongoing fire situation in Los Angeles County. To prioritize the safety of participants, staff and attendees, the showcase has been delayed until February 1.

“We are grateful that all of the Trinity and Mission League schools have come together to make this decision,” said Tournament Director Dan Shell. “This is a devastating time for our community, and our main priority is ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone involved.”

Tickets purchased for the original January 10 date will be valid for the new event date on February 1, 2025. Further updates regarding game times, matchups and ticketing will be shared with attendees in the coming days.

The Trinity-Mission League Showcase will feature top athletes from the Trinity and Mission Leagues, providing a platform for young talent to play on the biggest stage in basketball. The event will take place at the state-of-the-art Intuit Dome, home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

For more information about the rescheduled event or for ticket inquiries, please visit [website] or contact Jake Thau at Jake.thau@totalsportsconsulting.com or Natalie D’Anna at natalie.danna@totalsportsconsulting.com