The Big Room Blog

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to Carl Toborowsky ’97, Service Head of Cardiology and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. We asked him about memories from Haverford and his work in veterinary cardiology. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to American College Dublin's President Dr. Joseph A. Rooney Sr. ’83. Dr. Rooney's experience and expertise stretch from the hospitality industry to education. He is involved in local interests in both Florida and Ireland, with board memberships spanning the Economic Council of Palm Beach County to Dromoland Castle in Ireland's County Clare. Dr. Rooney and his wife, Kelly, have three children—Joseph Jr., Lawrence, and Melissa—and one granddaughter, Clara. We spoke to Dr. Rooney about lessons, advice, and aspirations. 

For the first time in 40 years, The Haverford School has a new chair of the visual arts department. Aki Torii joined the Haverford community in 2024, after serving as the Fine Arts Department Chair and Adjunct Professor at the Delaware College of Art and Design and as a Teaching Artist at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to Hive's Chief of Staff Alexander Heldring ’14. Hive provides industry-leading AI models to empower businesses to understand, search, and generate content at scale. We spoke to Alexander about how Haverford prepared him for his career path. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to Rob Ayres ’97, the EMS Division Chief for Unified Fire Authority, which is Utah’s largest fire-based EMS organization. We spoke to him about his Haverford days and his current challenges, from memories of the past to his hopes for his legacy. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to Brown University assistant lacrosse coach James Chakey ’12. He joined Brown's Men’s Lacrosse staff in July 2024, coaching under Rothman Head Coaching Chair for Men’s Lacrosse Jon Torpey. An experienced coach and talented lacrosse player, he was a four-year letterwinner for Penn State's lacrosse team, earning the Big 10 Sportsmanship Award and Penn State’s True Grit Award as a senior. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to Batch founder and CEO Mike Petrakis ’09. Batch, the nation’s leading party-planning platform, offers a seamless way to discover and book the best experiences in popular destinations, empowering groups to create unforgettable memories effortlessly. Under Mike’s leadership, Batch expanded to now serve three million users over 3,000 bookable experiences in more than 35 cities.

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to BIG4L's owner/ operator Chris Morgan ’13. BIG4L provides moving and hauling services in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Morgan remains active in The Haverford School community, serving on the Alumni Executive Committee (AEC) and presenting to the Black Student Union (BSU). He spoke to us about good advice and long lasting relationships. 

In Fords in Four, we ask a Haverford School alumnus four questions about his time at the School and about his life beyond. This month, we spoke to ColdVest's Founding Partner/Creative Director and Folk Devils' Creative Lead Ted Royer ’85. Folk Devils is a technology-led brand creative partner, while ColdVest is an emergency heatstroke prevention device that can be used "anytime, anywhere by anyone." In our conversation, he shared reflections on his time at Haverford and advice for future entrepreneurs.