Alice Bonaime
How long have you and your family worshiped at Saint Philip’s?
Since the summer of 2023.
What about Saint Philip’s appeals to you?
I love the people. The sense of community is unparalleled. Of course we enjoy the music, and some homilies are so meaningful that I listen to them again on YouTube.
I’m not generally someone who cries, but I’ve been moved to tears multiple times at Saint Phillip’s. The music and the sermons do it to me.
Saint Philip’s is also a place I am comfortable bringing guests. I’m proud of what happens here.
And that my husband, Matt, our three children, and I all immediately found something that spoke to us is extraordinary.
Were you raised in a faith tradition?
I was raised a Southern Baptist but, interestingly, my family generally attended Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Columbia, South Carolina on Christmas Eve. We loved the liturgy and the music. Both were different from what I knew—and beautiful.
How does your family feel about you worshiping at an Episcopal church?
They’re good with it. In fact, my sister and her family have attended an Episcopal church for a while. Just this past year, my parents (who are in their 70s) joined my sister’s church and were confirmed by the bishop. So now we’re all Episcopalians!
How are you involved at Saint Philip’s?
I serve on the Finance Committee, and Matt and I both participate in the Parents’ Formation group.
Matt and our oldest son, Luke, volunteer as cooks for Primavera Foundation. Clara is a lector and volunteers for the Angel Tree Project. Sebastian is an acolyte.
We’ve all found a place to plug in.
What do you do professionally?
I’m a Professor of Finance at the University of Arizona. This summer I also became the Head of the Finance Department.
The administrative work is substantial, but I still teach and do research; I consider myself first and foremost a professor.
What is there in finance to research?
So much! Just think about almost any economic government policy.
Right now I’m researching how corporations are reacting to a change in tax policy. My colleagues are doing interesting work on how best to save for retirement.
What are you working on right now?
Readers might find it boring and fall asleep but…
Two years ago a tax was implemented on a corporate transaction called share repurchases (which also happened to be the topic of my dissertation). Politicians said the law’s intent was to increase employment and investment.
I’m studying if the law had the intended effects. (It did not.) As an academic, I have to stay neutral. I’m not an advocate. I look at the data and report what it says.
Did you go to school with the intention to do this?
Not at all. My undergraduate majors were Math and French, which left me unemployed. But I immediately got an international MBA. It combined my quantitative side with my interest in languages.
During my MBA, I had two incredible Finance professors. They motivated me to learn more and inspired me to want to become a professor. They were incredibly generous with their time and attention and walked me through the process of getting a PhD, a process with which I was unfamiliar since I’m the first in my family to earn a PhD and work in academia.
Is there a place that helped form you?
France. I was lucky enough to visit with my dad a few times as a child, but then I went back on my own when I was 18 years old.
I lived with a French family for an entire summer. It was so different than anything I’d ever experienced. I loved it so much that I decided then and there that I wanted to major in French and return as often as I could.
During college, I managed to live in France for three summers and in Spain for one summer.
You’re fluent in French. How did you achieve that?
Even though I studied French in college, my real progress was made when I worked as an au pair for a family in Paris. The father was a dental surgeon who worked long days, and the mother was a flight attendant on international flights. Their careers meant I was in charge of the kids for days at a time.
The children didn’t speak any English and enjoyed correcting my French, so I learned a lot very quickly.
What are you passionate about?
Lots of things. At the micro level I’m passionate about my family. That’s cliché but it’s true. I care deeply about my three kids and their well being. Thankfully, they have good heads on their shoulders. I want them to be well educated, and independent—and I hope that faith is part of their journey, as well.
What’s a belief you’ve let go?
I used to be more of a black/white thinker. That’s what drew me to math; it was very satisfying to get the “right” answer.
The older I get, the more I see shades of grey. Now when I teach, I love to use cases and messy, real world data. It lets my students know the world isn’t black and white. It teaches them that trained, smart people can come to very different answers. There isn’t necessarily only one correct answer.
If you hadn’t pursued finance, what else might you have done?
When I was 18 years old, I almost majored in dance—ballet specifically. That would have been a very different life.
Why didn’t you follow that path?
Going through the audition process at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts helped me realize that, for me, dance was more of a hobby and a passion than a career.
And the financial aspect was important, too. I had a scholarship to stay in state and could graduate without any debt.
What’s something that might surprise readers?
I’m like a duck. Above the water, I appear very calm. But underneath the water, my legs are moving furiously. I can be very anxious and go immediately to worst case scenarios.
How do you manage that anxiety?
I remind myself that the worst case scenario—while possible—is also highly unlikely. I take deep breaths and trust that things will work out ok.
What’s something that scares you?
Right now, I find our geopolitical situation very scary. Not to sound like a Beauty Pageant contestant, but world peace really does keep me up at night.
I’m worried about how divided our country is, and that there doesn’t seem to be any effort to find middle ground. And the unwillingness to listen to experts is also a great concern.
How do you manage that fear?
By talking about this with loved ones. Our family often talks politics and news at the dinner table.
It can be challenging, but I try to focus on things within my control, and tune out the rest. I try to stay informed but there’s a fine line between staying informed and becoming enraged.
What role does faith play in your life?
I think it helps me stay grounded. I love coming here on Sundays. In addition to the community and the relationships, being in the sanctuary is one of the few places I find calm and am not distracted.
What do you do to relax or replenish yourself?
I ride my bike with a couple of friends on Saturday mornings. We’ve ridden the 100-mile Tour de Tucson together a few times. I’m also a Peloton fan.
And I love good story telling in any form—tv, movies, or books. Anything that invites me to lose myself in it.
Do you have a guilty pleasure?
I’m a huge talent show fan.
Is there a decision you made that had an outsized impact on your life?
Earning my PhD. It opened a world that I didn’t know about. I’ve met people from all over the world and now have an international community of colleagues.
I’m currently co-authoring research projects with someone from Hong Kong and another person from England. I would have never met either person if I hadn’t pursued my degree.
What’s something you know now that your younger self didn’t?
So much! My younger self was way more book smart than I am now. But far less street smart and people smart.
If I could go back and do things again, I would invest in broadening my social circle. I now see the tremendous value in community and enjoy meeting people who are different from me.
I was shyer as a young person than I am now, and I didn’t take the first step to reach out to people.
What’s one of your guiding principles?
Treat others how I want to be treated. The golden rule. It’s cliché but it means something to me.
What’s something you’re grateful for?
A lot of things. I’m grateful for my family. Right now our kids are old enough that they don’t need us as much as before, but they’re still willing to hang out with Matt and me. We really want to cherish these moments.
Things that used to feel like responsibilities now feel like privileges. I get to go to the band concert, the soccer game, the cross-country meet, and the awards ceremony.
What’s one of your super powers?
My tendency to trust other people. It opens me up to relationships that otherwise wouldn’t happen.
What’s something about you that friends have said they really appreciate?
I’m pretty loyal and true to my word. I work really hard to keep the promises that I make.
Have you done something new recently?
The administrative portion of my job. Prior to taking it on, I did research mostly alone in my office and was focused on spreadsheets, coding, and writing. Now I manage a group of people and interact with folks from all over campus.
The learning curve has been steep, but so far feedback has been pretty positive. I’m a straightforward communicator, inclusive, and am not offended by people advocating for themselves.
What’s something you’d like to do that you haven’t yet?
Volunteer a lot more so I could help make a difference in our community.
I’d like to get to a point in my personal and professional life where I can slow down and give more of my time back. I’m not there yet, but I look forward to getting there one day.
What have I not asked that you would like readers to know?
I’m very grateful for this church and the community.
If I have a regret it’s not coming here sooner. But I’m glad we found Saint Philip’s community when we did.
What’s a fun fact about you?
My kids make fun of me for loving puzzles: Wordle, Sudoku, and crosswords. For my last birthday each child made a card in the form of a word game that described me or referenced something I say or do.
What’s your first word for Wordl?
“Alone.” And if no letters appear from that then I use “strip.”
