Pi Beta Phi - University of Southern California

ENTRE NOUS 2 S incere is perhaps a perfect way to define the friendship between Kristin Hebert '85 and Susan Brownfield Beall '85. Even in the midst of the pandemic, the two women/friends/ mothers have supported each other in ways words don't fully describe. Over 30 years later, they still share that same devilish laughter that they did in college. Their relationship has expanded to their children and families. That deep belly laugh is infectious and is now experienced by all. It's a very safe place for everyone. Susan and Kristin also have a text thread labeled "Pi Phi Gals" that includes other pledge sisters: Kelly Quigley Applegate '85, Kelly Ryan Wilson '85, Nancy Breitman '85, Erin Douglas King '85, and Marisa Roman Wachhorst '85. They are all lifelong friends. With over 50 people in their member class, upperclassman sisters made the plan to pair New Members together for a luncheon to get to know one another. Kristin happened to pick Susan and the two have been best friends ever since. Both from California (Kristin from the Bay Area and Susan Southern California), they went on to be roommates and graduated in 1987. Kristin came to fraternity/sorority life at USC with a unique background, as her high school had fraternity and sorority groups. "I had already kind of been through the process," Kristin said. "I decided to rush as a sophomore because, just like everyone else, I was looking for a way to meet new people." After joining Pi Beta Phi, Kristin immediately knew she made the right decision. "What an amazing group of women!" On top of her sorority membership, Kristin was also a member of the USC Ski Team, served as Team Captain, and was awarded the team's Women's High Point Award all four years of college. She traveled frequently with the team, which didn't leave much time for her to hold an officer position within California Gamma. Kristin remembers leaving on one ski trip and coming home to pictures of her sisters wearing all of her clothes. "My mom loved my clothes and didn't want me sharing them," Kristin said. "That was such an innocent prank (amongst so many others), and it still makes me laugh to this day." Susan used to say at the time, "Kristin, you never graduated from kindergarten because you didn't learn to share." The two still laugh. Kristin graduated with a degree in communications in 1987 and has been in the same line of business ever since: executive search. "I got lucky and found something that I am good at and enjoy every day," Kristin said. Today, she is a Managing Partner at Caldwell Partners, where she runs the San Francisco office and serves on the global leadership team of the firm as a functional expert in recruiting general counsels with a specialty in legal, compliance, and privacy for a wide variety of industry sectors. "I am a problem solver," Kristin said. "In recruiting, I go after passive, not active, candidates." Early in her career, Kristin and her first husband welcomed a daughter, Sydney, who was born prematurely, causing her to undergo a minor surgery two weeks after birth. Due to complications, Sydney went too long with low blood pressure and sustained significant brain damage. "They gave her last rights and said she wouldn't make it to her fifth birthday," Kristin said. "Today, she is 30, wheelchair-bound, non- verbal, and struggles to sleep through the night." Sydney has cerebral palsy and is a quadriplegic, which requires one-to-one care 24/7 (feeding, bathing, etc.). Kristin has supported Sydney since birth and her father has had no contact in over 20 years. Kristin has two other children from her second marriage: Halle Potterton, a junior Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Max Potterton, a senior at Piedmont High School. Kristin got divorced in 2012 and has been a single mother supporting her three children. She has experienced a tremendous amount of adversity over the years but proudly says, "We've been through a lot, but my family is in a good place and everyone is thriving." In February 2020, Kristin put strict precautions in place to protect her family from the coronavirus. Given Sydney's condition and high risk, everyone had to be super careful. Fast forward to the holidays of 2020. On January 4, one of Sydney's aides came to work as usual, but that afternoon texted Kristin from Sydney's room and said: "My chest hurts. I need to go to the doctor now. I can't breathe." Meanwhile, one of the other aides had said she wasn't feeling well, didn't come to work and wanted to go get tested. By the next day, and additional testing, every one of the aides, their families, Kristin and Sydney had positive COVID-19 test results with symptoms. Overnight, the world changed. For a house that was so careful and just weeks away from receiving the vaccine, they were now in the midst of dealing with the virus. Kristin had given the aides the weekend of New Year's off and took care of Sydney. For the next 14 days she would care for Sydney alone while both had the virus. Fortunately, as Kristin states: "We were lucky. Despite planning for the worst in consult with the doctor, our symptoms weren't dire." During her 14 days, Kristin had Sydney all day and all night alone and still had high-level work to get done. She talked daily (multiple times a day) with Susan and her kids. One day, 10 minutes before a conference call with a group of Fortune 50 executives, Sydney was acting up and being fussy. Kristin changed her diaper quickly (because that's part of caring for Sydney), called Susan and said. "I need you to entertain Sydney." Sydney loves the phone, people, and FaceTime. She also really loves Susan (because she's funny and has a great sense of humor). Amazingly, Susan got Always Look on the Bright Side of Life Kristin Hebert '85 on How She Keeps a Positive Outlook Thanks to Her Core Values Kristin stands alongside her Pi Phi sisters to celebrate their graduation in 1987. Kristin revisiting the chapter house with her member class sisters for their 30 th reunion. Kristin with her children.

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