We've been following Tucker (Lisa) Ricchio '04 very closely these past few months, and Chef Tucker has written in to keep us up to date. Read on to hear all about how she started her journey as a Chef, what her Italian grandparents taught her about food and cooking, and her experience on Gordon Ramsay's show, Next Level Chef.
Welcome Back Cougars!
Whether you are a former student, parent, faculty, or staff member, you are part of the ACDS Alumni community. You have a lasting connection to ACDS and we want to help make it stronger. Each year, alumni participate in ACDS life through volunteering, events, sharing their stories in our newsletters, and through their generosity. Our alumni serve as testament to the success that lies ahead for our students. And they remind us all that “Once a Cougar, Always a Cougar.”
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Alumni Spotlight

After graduating from Leland High School in 2012, Jake Heindel '08 completed a bachelor's degree in Film Production at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. As a Video Producer for the San Jose Sharks, Jakes says that one of his most significant accomplishments is "making the opening hype videos that play on the big screen before the players take the ice." They are an impactful way to energize the crowd before the game starts. If you're a Sharks fan, you've probably enjoyed one of his four opening hype videos. His favorite is the Stealth Jersey open video from the 2021-2022 season.
Meaghan Schapelhouman ’14 attended ACDS from Begindergarten through 8th grade. Upon graduation from Presentation High School, she next enrolled at Marymount Manhattan College, New York City, where she pursued and obtained a degree in musical theater. To the delight of all who know her, Meaghan completed the circle and recently returned to Almaden Country Day School to join the staff as a teacher in the arts.
Matt Hunt attended Almaden Country Day School from Kindergarten through 8th grade and is a member of the Class of 2012. He attended Archbishop Mitty High School and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Engineering with a minor in mathematics from Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) in 2021.
Matt’s proudest professional accomplishment is being part of the Indianapolis 500 Car Race this year (2022) and winning the IndyCar championship in 2021 with Chip Ganassi Racing. He worked on each car as a mechanic and engineer.
Deena Shakir is a successful business professional. She and her husband Mehdi have two children, 6-year-old Lana and 4-year-old Adam. She earned a joint BA in Social Studies and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard, and an MA from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, funding her education through a variety of merit scholarships and side ventures, including co-founding her first company while in college. She is currently a partner at Lux Capital, a venture capital company focusing on emerging, futuristic ideas in science and technology investments. In addition, she is a lecturer in management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Maxwell Love’19 is a vibrant, well-rounded learner whose resume-to-date belies his youth. As a junior at Oakwood School, he recently completed a research summer internship at UCLA into the analysis and remediation of cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke in the lungs. He will submit his resulting research report to the nationally renowned Davidson Fellow Scholarship and the Regeneron Science Talent Search. Maxwell also testified to the San Jose City Council on a high schooler’s perspective of the vaping epidemic, assisting in the successful effort to pass legislation banning flavored e-cigarettes.
Alumni Newsletter Archive
Alumni News
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Updates from the Classes of 2003, 2004, 2009, 2013
Updates from the Classes of 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2018 and a current teacher.
Features for Alumni in Nutrition & Culinary Arts from the Classes of 2001, 2004, 2011, 2013, 2018
ACDS Alumni volunteer opportunity
The ACDS library is offering current alumni an opportunity to contribute to the ACDS community through the following initiative:
- Create a read-aloud video of a picture book to be used for educational purposes in younger grades.
- The approximate community service hours for a picture book read aloud of 30-40 pages should take approximately 2 hours to record.
If interested, please contact Mrs. Arguello to receive step by step instructions, an example, and to confirm the choice of your book.
Where do our graduates go?
Our graduates attend both public and private schools of their choice. Of our class of 2023 who applied to private high schools, our 10-year acceptance rate is 98%.
Where our graduates go after ACDS
Support ACDS
The generosity of our alumni, current and past families, faculty, and community friends helps directly sustain the school's operating budget and supports every ACDS student's education.
Throwing an Alumni Event?
Throwing an Alumni event? Let us know and we'll help you spread the word!