Return to Headlines

IB 10-Year Reunion Alumni Feature: Christina Drakeford

Throughout the spring, we will be catching up with Kenmore West graduates who were a part of the first ever International Baccalaureate program at Ken-Ton. Check out our latest alumni update below.

Headshot of Christina Drakeford

Name: Christina Drakeford

Graduation Accomplishments: Christina graduated from Kenmore West in 2013 with an IB Diploma, and an Advanced Regents Diploma with Honors and Math & Science Distinctions. She was class valedictorian and a member of the National Honor Society.

On joining the IB Program, Christina said, I saw IB as a rigorous program that would help me to develop the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. Being around such gifted classmates is what I remember most from the IB Program.”

Christina gained a lot from her time in IB, but her favorite experience comes from the program’s required CAS project. She and a few of her classmates organized a bottle drive that helped fund a spaghetti dinner at Friends of the Night People, an organization that helps impoverished people in the Buffalo area. She took that leadership and community experience to the next phase of her life, starting a club while in college that consisted of students tutoring Ithaca residents studying for their GED.

On the benefits of the IB program, Christina said, “The community leadership skills, study habits, and worldwide perspective that I gained in the IB program made the transition from high school to college practically seamless.”

College Life: Christina went on to study at Cornell University where she graduated a semester early, in large part due to the college credits she received through the IB program. She wound up in the top 1% of her graduating class, finishing with a Bachelor’s of Science in Policy Analysis & Management and minors in Business and Inequality Studies. She then went on to study at Harvard Law School where she graduated magna cum laude in 2020 with a Juris Doctor Degree.

Post-College Journey: Following her graduation from Cornell, Christina began a career at the former Cellino & Barnes in Buffalo as a human resources assistant. She worked there until her law school journey started in August 2017.

Where is she now? After taking and passing the bar exam, Christina got a job at Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, a law firm in New York City. In her current role as a corporate associate, she helps businesses with buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions and capital market transactions.

When speaking about her current position, Christina said, “My job is challenging, but I am thankful that I am learning and developing into a better lawyer every day.”

Christina is one of the many former IB graduates who plan to attend this summer’s 10-year reunion of the first ever graduating class.

Past Alumni Features:

Jacquelyn Sagasta

Sarah Pray

Christopher Phillips

Rebecca Gourlay

Hale Diamond