From the moment they stepped onto the Campbell Hall campus for a tour, John Shallman and Lani Barrameda-Shallman felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. So when their eldest daughter started 7th grade in 2006, both made it a priority to get involved in the life of the school, finding myriad ways to support what would become their family’s second home. Over the span of 16 years while their four children (Ariana ’12, Nina ’14, Ben ’17, and Jonah ’20) attended CH, Lani served in a number of key Parents’ Association positions including as a middle school and high school Vice President. John was a member of the CH Board of Directors from 2007-2022, serving as Chair of the Building and Grounds Committee and Board Chair for the last four years of his tenure. Together, John and Lani have generously hosted countless CH events.

Some of their greatest contributions, however, center on their tremendous support of the school’s capital campaigns which they understand are essential to the growth and betterment of Campbell Hall. The Shallmans were instrumental in every stage of the Spielberg Family Arts and Education Center, helping to lead the project from planning to groundbreaking. Their generous $250,000 donation to the project is commemorated by the beautifully and sustainably landscaped Shallman Family Garden which graces the entryway to the ground-level parking garage. “The AEC was an amazing addition to the school,” says Lani. “We were so proud to be part of it and to see how students marveled at the new world class arts facilities.”

“After the completion of the AEC, we knew there was still more to be done,” says John. “As part of a multi-phase project, the Holiday Center was always meant to be the next step in transforming the campus. With an amazing arts facility now in place, we knew we had to focus on athletics because Campbell Hall is all about providing students with a balance of academics, arts, and athletics. Whatever a child’s interests or talents are, they will be nurtured here.”

Much of the early-stage development of the Holiday Center project, from budgeting to design to marketing, took place in the Shallman’s living room as a group of various CH constituents gathered to plan how to bring the dream of a new athletic and wellness facility to life. John and Lani were also among the first donors to the campaign, with a $1 million gift for the construction of a new dining hall, a tangible expression of what the Shallmans hold most dear. “Food is a universal way to pull people together,” explains John. “Family dinners have always been an important way for us to stay connected. We wanted students to enjoy that same sense of bonding and communing over a healthy meal. It’s that spirit of togetherness that Campbell Hall thrives on.”

While all four of their children have graduated, John and Lani continue to stay deeply connected to Campbell Hall, helping to further the school’s mission. “We want to model the importance of philanthropy to our children, especially to a place that has had such a huge impact on their lives,” explains Lani. “Life is a continuum,” adds John. “We feel we have to help set up the next generation, just as CH donors who came long before us did. Our children, who are now alumni, can always be proud to say where their diploma is from. As with the AEC, the Holiday Center will be a monument to our children, our faculty, our programs, and our families -- a true reflection of the spirit of nurturing decent, loving and responsible human beings.”