Alum, Current Parent Join Campaign Team

St. Albans is delighted to announce that Gina Coburn (mother of current students Bowen ’21, Witt ’23, and Tess [Beauvoir ’21]) and Jun Makihara ’75 (father of alumnus Kazuma ’13 and Takuma) have volunteered to help co-chair the STRIVE Campaign. They join Ben Guill ’69, Rob Carter ’80, and Anne Large in this leadership role.

Gina Coburn is senior advisor to Global Philanthropy Group, a Los Angeles-based firm that offers a range of philanthropic advisory services to individuals, foundations, and corporations. She received a bachelor’s degree in politics and economics from Princeton University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Coburn holds great responsibility in her new role as campaign co-chair: “St. Albans asks a lot of our boys–in the classrooms, on the fields, in their activities, and as members of the Close community. And as parents, we set the highest expectations for the school to nurture, teach, and protect our sons along the way. My hope is that one day my sons will reflect on their nine years starting in C Form as not only the process of growing up, but as the foundation of their character. A palpable sense of camaraderie and spirit is woven into their daily rhythms, allowing young students to flourish into loyal friends and responsible citizens. The impact of the St. Albans experience on our boys can be and should be enormous, and it takes a multitude of resources to make that a reality. Parent engagement and generosity–both with time and money–are critical to supporting the school’s and our boys’ efforts. If the boys and school endeavor to deliver what is asked of them, shouldn’t we?”

A retired Goldman Sachs general partner and investment banker, Jun Makihara is an outside director of the Monex Group, Shinsei Bank, and Philip Morris International. He received his B. A. in economics from Harvard University and his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Makihara looks back to St. Albans as the place that shaped him into the man he is today: “The way I write, the way I speak, the way I think, and, in many ways, the way I am—was molded during my four years at St. Albans. Surely there were great influences before and after (after all, I did go to Harvard, the great stamping press of character), but somehow St. Albans stands out.”

Makihara gives credit to his teachers and his headmaster, Canon Charles Martin, who led the school from 1949 to 1977: “The teachers laid down the behavioral pathways that have guided me since then. Of course, I didn’t realize it at the time. (I thought that Canon Martin was a somewhat out-of-touch guy with an ugly dog.) But looking back today, as I see young people making their way through an educational system skewed toward getting into brand-name schools, I realize Canon Martin was more ‘in touch’ than any of us. He was a headmaster who truly did not care whether we got into an Ivy League school. He cared who we became.”

Says campaign co-chair Rob Carter ’80: “I am thrilled to welcome Jun and Gina as the newest STRIVE Campaign co-chairs to join Anne, Ben and me. As we near completion of the fields fundraising and ‘pivot’ to an increased focus on endowment (while continuing to maintain Annual Giving as our top priority, of course!), having an accomplished and inexhaustible STA alumnus—and past parent—such as Jun and a generous and proven fundraiser—and Lower School parent—in Gina adds two more important voices to the STRIVE Campaign leadership. We are most grateful for their commitment to the boys and love for the School.”