Mark and Ingeborg Holliday

Mark and Ingeborg Holliday are the parents of two Catlin Gabel graduates, Annika ’20 and Lucas ’23, Co-Chairs of the Eagles Soar campaign, and Mark is the current Board Chair. Reflecting back on their Catlin Gabel journey, they are grateful for the community of teachers, parents, and alumni.

Ingeborg shares, “On the day in March of 2006 when admission letters for preschool were mailed, we were so excited and hopeful that we intercepted the mail truck en route. Thankfully, we received positive news!”

The caring and nurturing teachers and the school’s commitment to experiential learning are what first attracted Mark and Ingeborg to Catlin Gabel. To them, the Beehive felt like such a magical place to launch their children’s education, and since those early days, they have continued to watch their children flourish, both as students and athletes. Both children are currently attending Northwestern University.

“Giving a leadership gift to the Eagles Soar campaign was a way that we could thank the school. We recognized that the supportive learning environment our children thrived in was the result of generations of parent and alumni visionaries who came before us. Today, it is hard to imagine the campus without the Miller Library, the Dant House, or the Creative Arts Center— learning spaces that were solely funded through donations.”

Mark and Ingeborg are also thrilled about the myriad ways the Community Center for Athletics and Wellness will positively impact the school, from providing a welcoming gateway for visitors and alumni to providing a space where all students can finally gather for assemblies, cheer on the Eagle basketball and volleyball teams, and invite many family and friends to the graduation ceremony.

“Although our youngest child recently graduated, we feel a responsibility to the next generation of students to leave the campus even better than when we were first embraced by the community years ago. The Community Center for Athletics and Wellness is a critical pillar to Catlin Gabel’s growth plan. We believe the world will be a better place with more empathetic, creative, and curious Catlin Gabel graduates who will make positive contributions in big and small ways.”