Alumni Profile: Maya Lis Tussing '87- Cultivating Community through Philanthropy

“We came from large investment companies and Wall Street firms and had worked for many years in a corporate environment, managing institutional money,” Maya shared. “We raised a lot of money from our colleagues and firms to donate to non-profits that we were very interested in, and we noticed that several mid-size non-profits were not getting the attention or expertise needed to manage their funds effectively.”

Maya attended The Bush School from Seventh Grade until graduation. During her tenure, she played tennis, contributed to roles as president and vice-president of the student body, and was a fan of Science and Biology. She credits AP Biology faculty member Peggy Skinner with sparking her love of the subject, which led to her initial desire to be a doctor.
 

“I decided after college that I would take a break before I applied to medical school,” Maya shared. “Let's say I was a little exhausted about being in school, and the thought of going to school again seemed overwhelming at the time.”

Maya moved from Seattle and applied to several jobs in San Francisco, finally receiving a position as an assistant trader at Transamerica Corporation. While working the job for two years, Maya developed a new love and understanding of numbers, markets, and financial planning.

“I was just fascinated by markets, numbers, and spreadsheets,” Maya said. “Bush was very good at allowing students to try different things and be interested in so much more, and it's really suited me and my career.”

In her decades of experience, Maya leveraged her enterprise risk and investment management knowledge at corporations such as BlackRock, Barclays Global Investors, Visa, and GE.

“It wasn’t until I left my job at BlackRock that I started becoming more involved with nonprofits and servicing them,” Maya said. “You really start noticing where people are falling down.”

In 2023, Maya returned to Bush for an honorary campus tour, given by Associate Director of Alumni Relations Tiffany Kirk and former Assistant Director of Development Libby Singer. She expressed her awe at the campus's evident physical changes but experienced familiarity as she walked through the halls of Gracemont.
 

“What was strange about the tour is that it triggered things in my brain where I began reliving experiences,” Maya shared. “Bill Baber, the Art teacher, also happened to walk by, and I remember him helping me with a sculpture years ago. It was a very emotional and poignant tour for me, and I'd love to do it again to trigger more memories.”
 

Last year, Maya relived more memories when she connected with fellow alums for a halftime presentation and Alumni Happy Hour, honoring former Bush Boys Basketball Coach Willie Bascus.
 

“I was very heartbroken when I saw that Willie Bascus had passed because he was such an important and beloved teacher at Bush,” Maya said. “He stood out with his booming voice. I really respected him because he believed you had to pay your dues to play or to win because it takes hard work.”

Maya joined the Bush community thanks to her mother, a former substitute teacher who fell in love with the school’s welcoming vibe. She hopes more kids can experience the warmth and positivity she enjoyed while attending Bush. She fondly remembers the connected “family feel” and history she’s built with her fellow classmates and teachers.