Alumni Profile: Eva Kranefuss ‘14 Trades One Dream Career for Another

“From the moment I could talk, I thought I was going to be a doctor. I like science. Don’t get me wrong. I loved studying, but I had never considered that I’m also deeply creative, and I need my life to be creative,” says Eva Kranefuss, Marin Horizon Class of ‘14.

Today, Eva, age 25, is the talented pastry chef at Greek restaurant Bar Vlaha in Brookline, Massachusetts, making bread, savory pies, a full dessert menu, and quite a bit of their brunch menu. 

 

 

Eva pivoted to breadmaking on a whim, while living in Arlington, a town just north of Boston. After attending school at Tufts University where they completed their bachelors degree in biopsychology, on a pre-med track, Eva stopped into Arlington Bakery and asked for a part-time job.

They went on to work at Boston restaurants Mistral and The Langham, honing their craft and getting serious about a career in pastry. At Bar Vlaha, Kranefuss’s specialty is sourdough bread.

“Going from wanting to be a doctor to being a pastry chef feels kind of absurd on its face,” says Eva. “I spent a long time thinking I wanted to be a surgeon, but I think that’s just because I watched too much ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’” they say.

“I think it got easier to give up on that dream when I realized that it wasn’t going to make me happy. And I think that this career makes me happy. The day that it either becomes impossible or it doesn’t make me happy anymore, I’m going to do something else that makes me happy.”

As they reflect on their time at Marin Horizon, Eva recognizes that their sense of confidence and self-awareness began taking shape early on. Eva says, “MHS did a fantastic job developing my independence, leadership skills, and everyday life skills.” They continue, “My ownership over what I do has allowed me to skyrocket in my career. I am so grateful for the opportunities I was given at MHS and my time there plays a very large role in my life today.” 

Eva was recently featured in an article in the Boston Globe, From Med Student to Sourdough Star. 

 

 

Read more of our interview with Eva Kranefuss below...

 

When did you graduate from Marin Horizon School, and for which grades did you attend?

I was a student at MHS from K-8 grade and graduated in 2014. However, since my older siblings were students at MHS, I was being carried around the campus as a 2 week old baby. Stevie Lee always liked to remind me of that. 

What schools did you attend after Marin Horizon? What were your fields of study and what degrees did you earn?

I went to Marin Academy for high school then got my bachelors degree in biopsychology from Tufts University. I also completed premed. 

What are you doing now, professionally and personally? Where are you living? What are you enjoying most about life?

Today, I’m a pastry chef in Boston. I work at a Greek restaurant that specializes in sourdough bread. My career is my greatest passion. I just returned from a trip to Greece a few days ago. I spent the entire eight days eating and learning about Greek food. Outside of work, I love running, skiing, and mountain climbing. Over the summer I attempted climbing Mt. Rainier and hope to go back soon to give it another shot. 

What is your favorite memory of Marin Horizon School? Educational or otherwise?

In 6th grade, I summited Mt. Tam in the pouring rain holding hands with my two best friends. The entire 3 day trip was rainy and freezing. One of my classmates forgot our sandwiches for the summit day so we spent it hungry, wet, and cold. My class complained the whole way up then happily sang “Livin’ on a Prayer” all the way down. In the moment, we wished we could be back in our warm cozy beds. Looking back, this trip was so special. As 11 and 12 year olds we were granted so much autonomy. We learned to look out for ourselves and each other. It was a true challenge and I am so grateful for that. 

Who was your favorite teacher and why?

It’s hard to choose a favorite but I would have to say Mark Sherburne. He was serious about math but unserious in his approach. I always felt I was held to a high standard, but he gave me all the tools I needed to achieve it. I will never forget Mark jumping around the room on top of our desks, knocking down papers, and smearing a banana into my face to explain the concept of irrational numbers. The approach was odd, but so effective. 

What was your favorite class and why?

Middle school science with Mo Poxon was my absolute favorite class. Not only did it prepare me for difficult high school STEM classes, it also helped build my love for science and experimentation. Whether it was building pumpkin catapults or Rube Goldberg machines (ours spilled orange juice everywhere), I always looked forward to going upstairs to learn something new. Creating and carrying out experiments, working with power tools, and designing our own learning was very special. 

How did Marin Horizon prepare you for your next steps - high school and beyond? 

Marin Horizon gave me a huge leg up in my next steps in life. Academically, I felt well prepared for high school and then college. However, more importantly, MHS did a fantastic job developing my independence, leadership skills, and everyday life skills. The common threads among all of my classes were independence and autonomy. The way my teachers involved me in my own learning gave me real ownership over my education and, later down the line, my career. The focus on leadership skills through outdoor education, leadership classes with Stevie Lee, and big buddy programs helped me develop confidence and self-awareness. Finally, my teachers’ focus on everyday life skills like interviewing, time management, and even changing a tire on my car (yes, we did that in PE once and I’m forever grateful) has stuck with me over 10 years later.

With the benefit of hindsight, what do you think was unique about your education at Marin Horizon, compared with your peers in high school and beyond?

The focus on developing life skills both in and out of the classroom was what set MHS apart. In high school, we all came in on equal ground academically, however I was able to adjust to the higher standards and greater freedom with ease in comparison to some of my classmates. The close relationships I built with teachers at MHS allowed me to comfortably approach my high school teachers, build relationships, and most importantly ask for help. These relationships opened the doors to internships, special classes, and fantastic letters of recommendation. 

Are there things you learned at Marin Horizon that stay with you to this day? 

So much of what I learned at MHS lives with me today. When I attempted Mt. Rainier this summer, I was brought right back to outdoor ed trips where my love of the outdoors began. I recently sent a thank you email to Beth Anderson because I still think about her interview seminar from the 8th grade when I interview for jobs as an adult. My ownership over what I do has allowed me to skyrocket in my career. I am so grateful for the opportunities I was given at MHS and my time there plays a very large role in my life today.