For as far back as Andrew Nathanson ’09 can remember, Rye Country Day School has been a part of his life. The son of Audrey Shuman Nathanson '74 and a student at the school from Kindergarten through twelfth grade, Andrew says that Rye Country Day has long been a happy fixture in his life. “I have distinct memories of being a toddler and playing with Bill Buck and Janet Lott in the lobby of the Admissions Building while waiting for my mom to finish a meeting,” he recalls with a chuckle.

It’s hardly surprising, then, to hear the enthusiasm in Andrew’s voice when his new role as Alumni Executive Board (AEB) President is mentioned. “When I initially was asked to join the Alumni Executive Board back in 2015, I jumped at the chance, following my mom’s example,” he says. “My mom has been incredibly involved with the School. She served as the Alumni Executive Board President as well as on the Board of Trustees. I was extremely fortunate to attend RCDS, and it’s a huge honor to continue my involvement with the School in this capacity.”

Andrew’s desire to give back does not spring solely from familial ties. He credits his educational and extracurricular experiences at RCDS for laying the groundwork for the rewarding career he enjoys today as Vice President of Operations for Bisnow, a news and events company focused on the commercial real estate sector. “Every year we produce over 400 live and virtual events around the world,” he explains. “I love the immediacy of the work, and the opportunity to solve problems and develop new products by working with different teams across the company.” 

His student days at RCDS were a valuable proving ground for this current work. “Through my involvement in student government and various clubs, I learned how to communicate with administrators and students to produce special events. As stage manager for Rye Country Day’s Drama Department, I learned to react quickly and use technology to solve problems on the fly. It was a lot of fun,” he recalls. 

As AEB president, Andrew is determined to safeguard these rich educational and extracurricular opportunities for future generations of RCDS students as well. “Rye Country Day continues to evolve, with exciting plans to expand and reinvent its campus. It’s an incredibly exciting time to be involved,” he observes. “As AEB President, my hope is to reintroduce alums to this amazing place as well as help them to reconnect and see how they can be involved in the life of the school. I’m especially eager to explore ways in which the board can facilitate interactions between current students and alumni, helping students to see alums as a resource and helping alums understand how they can give back to the school in interesting and meaningful ways.”

Towards that end, Andrew is eager to expand the ranks of the AEB, particularly with respect to greater representation across the decades. “During COVID we moved our meetings from Rye to Zoom, so it’s now much easier for alumni across the country, and even in other countries, to be more involved,” he observes. “I want to help alumni from all over reconnect with Rye Country Day,” he concludes, “because I know from personal experience how time has deepened my appreciation for my time on campus.”