Alumnae Fly Abroad

St. Mary’s alumnae are soaring globally, leveraging their education and passions to make meaningful impacts. From improving global health care and preserving cultural heritage to fostering education and exploring new frontiers, these remarkable women embody the spirit of leadership and dedication nurtured at St. Mary’s. Here are some inspiring stories of alumnae making a difference around the world.

Claire Riley ’09
Madrid, Spain

Having spent the past 10 years living in vibrant Madrid, Claire Riley ’09 is a seasoned travel connoisseur. She founded Duende Travels and designs personalized, experience-based trips for clients worldwide. Claire’s own adventures are equally impressive, including a polar expedition and a memorable journey to Marrakesh, Morocco, last summer. In her job and daily life in Spain, she says that her St. Mary’s Spanish and Italian skills are used well! “I’ve enjoyed planning trips for quite a few St. Mary’s alumnae, which has been a fun full-circle experience,” Claire said.

Anna Peeler ’13
London, England

Fueled by her passion for improving healthcare, Anna Peeler ’13 brought her expertise to London. As a post-doctoral research associate at the Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care Policy and Rehabilitation at King’s College London, Anna collaborates with international teams, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Her work focuses on improving access to health care for adults and children and expanding nurses’ roles in providing holistic health care. “Alexa Fila ’13, Emily Rosenthal ’13, and I have mini — SMS reunions all the time and want to encourage more alumnae to join us across the pond!” Anna shared.

Laurence Goodwin ’03
Kent, England

Laurence completed a Latin and Classical Studies degree at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland before coming “home” to St. Mary's to teach Latin for two years. She then returned to the UK to study Late Antique and Byzantine History of Art at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London before working as a cataloguer and book specialist at Bonhams Auctioneers in London and Oxford before resuming her teaching career. She is currently Head of US and International University Applications and a teacher of Critical Thinking at Sevenoaks School in Kent (just outside London). Laurence is working toward a master’s degree in Learning and Teaching at the University of Oxford. Her first book, a handbook for college advising professionals in UK schools, will be published in Spring 2025.

Laurence attributes her love of learning and teaching to St. Mary’s. “I think about the love, time, and care that all of our teachers poured into us – even when I'm sure we made it hard – and I hold onto that as a model for my own professional practice,” Laurence said. “My time at St. Mary’s gave me a deep love of learning but also the skills and confidence needed to pursue my passions. My time at St. Mary's made me feel that nothing is beyond my grasp."

Evie Oliver ’20
Melbourne, Australia

Evie Oliver ’20 has journeyed across the United States, from New York City to San Jose, and has now settled in Melbourne, Australia, to further her studies in architectural design at Monash University. “I love to visit the city’s wonderful cafes and beaches,” she shared. “I’m absolutely thrilled to call Melbourne home, and I love waking each day and exploring a new part of a wonderful city.”

Sally Fri ’74
Motueka, New Zealand

After retiring in 2017, Sally Fri ’74 embarked on an adventurous journey to New Zealand, to experience life beyond the United States, drawn by the country’s outstanding natural beauty. What was intended to be a one-year stay has turned into a permanent home, where Sally has embraced the serene rural lifestyle alongside her husband, a wonderful Kiwi man she met and married two years ago. They reside in a picturesque area on a river, nestled between two national parks that offer endless opportunities for fabulous hiking and exploration. Sally dedicates her time to teaching English as a volunteer to a former refugee from Colombia.

Lee McGeorge Durrell ’67
Jersey, Channel Islands
Corfu, Greece

Lee McGeorge Durrell ’67 spent the last year busily preparing for the 2025 centenary of her late husband, renowned writer and conservationist Gerald Durrell. She will speak at the Kolkata Literary Festival in India, perform with The Durrell Suite in Corfu, and participate in an eco-friendly wildflower art installation in Jersey. Lee has also completed “Myself and Other Animals,” a new compilation of Gerald’s writings, including unpublished works, set to be published by Penguin-Viking this spring. Alongside these commemorative projects, Lee and her partner Colin are renovating a four-hundred-year-old olive press on their Corfu property. “We harvest our own olives from about 20 productive trees, taking them to a local olive press operated by the same family in Corfu for a hundred years. So we have been gearing up for the next harvest and expect to have enough olive oil to last us for two years,” she shared.

Rachel McElroy White ’06
Groningen, The Netherlands

Rachel McElroy White ’06 has lived for five years in Groningen, The Netherlands, where she is an Assistant Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Groningen. This academic year she is teaching undergraduates in Dutch for the first time. She loves the Netherlands, especially the cycling culture, biking to work every day, rain or shine, just like the Dutch do! Rachel’s current research project, funded by the Dutch Research Council (national research funding organization), will compare and contrast photographs of war atrocities taken by soldiers who were pro- and anti-war to try to understand whether soldiers’ own attitudes towards violence affect the photographic choices they made.