Kayla & Clayton
Wedding Party
Kayla Shuster
Bride
Family is very important to Kayla; she loves spending time with Clayton and their dog, Sailor, or calling her parents. She recently started as the Recruiter for Diversity & Access for the Allen School of Computer Science at the University of Washington where her work focuses on creating equitable access to higher education. She holds Bachelor's degrees in Music Theory and Social Psychology from Ithaca College and a Master's in Higher Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Kayla has always been a musician and enjoys playing guitar and performing living room musicals for Clayton. She has recently brought her artistic side to the kitchen, preparing elaborate meals and experimenting with spice combinations.
Clayton Sasaki
Groom
Clayton is a true global citizen. He was born in New York but has lived in London, Florida, and Washington. He grew up involved in robotics, cross country, and especially sailing. Through sailing, he became fascinated by the weather. He attended Cornell University where he earned degrees in both Atmospheric Science and Environmental Engineering. He is now pursing his PhD at the University of Washington where his research focuses on storm systems in Argentina. In the hours between research, he enjoys reading the news and spending time with Kayla and Sailor. He is a humble and deeply loving person who values family over everything.
Kellyn Shuster
Maid of Honor
Kellyn is Kayla’s younger sister. She is an alumna of Rider University where she majored in psychology. A phenomenal athlete, she competed in gymnastics through the end of high school, qualifying for nationals multiple times before joining her college cheerleading team. Currently, she works as a life guard, swim teacher, and gymnastics coach while saving up for her next big adventure. She is loved by her friends and family for her compassionate heart and love of fun.
Isaac Semaya
Best Man
Clayton met Isaac in eighth grade at the American School in London. They were in robotics and on the cross country team together. After high school, Isaac attended Brown University where he majored in Computer Science. He now works for Block (formerly Square) and lives in San Francisco. He still enjoys running and working out whenever he can. Isaac is witty and loves keeping in touch with old friends.
Tori Sasaki
Co-Maid of Honor
Tori is Clayton’s older sister. She recently completed her Master’s degree in Psychology at University College London and now works for a mental health charity in the UK. She also runs the Instagram account truthfullytori_ where she advocates for people struggling with OCD and other mental health challenges. She has a passion for social justice and cares deeply for others, especially her little brother.
Colin Poler
Best Man
Clayton, Colin, and Isaac were the captains of their school’s robotics team during their senior year at the American School in London, but their friendship dates back to eighth grade. After returning to the states, Colin attended MIT for Mechanical Engineering. He recently returned to MIT to obtain his MBA. In his free time, he enjoys building boats and sailing. Colin is really organized and he is a very good listener.
Chenchen Wang
Bridesmaid
Chenchen and Kayla met in daycare. They have made an effort to remain best friends and keep in touch after finishing kindergarten and moving apart. Chenchen finished 2 undergraduate degrees and 2 minors at UCLA in three years. Right now, she is pursing her passion for filmmaking by working on personal projects to submit for film festivals. She is also a phenomenal photographer. She is loyal, loving, and a joy to be around.
Marc Alessi
Groomsman
Clayton met Marc in their Atmospheric Science major at Cornell. After graduating, Marc chose to stay at Cornell for his Master’s degree before moving to Colorado to pursue his PhD at Colorado State University. Outside of school, he is engaged in climate activism and becoming a wine connoisseur. He prioritizes organizing virtual games and activities with Clayton, Tyler, Chris and Griffin. He is charismatic and works to keep the group together, even when Clayton doesn't answer their messages!
Maria Bushby
Bridesmaid
Maria and Kayla met through Habitat for Humanity in the spring of their freshman year at Ithaca College. They became instant friends and worked together as resident assistants during their junior year. Maria worked with outside organizations helping the homeless in and around Ithaca. She graduated with a degree in Sociology and has been taking some time to figure out her next steps. She works as a kayaking tour guide in the interim. She is deeply compassionate and always willing to fight for what she believes in.
Tyler Leicht
Groomsman
Tyler, like Marc, Chris, and Griffin, met Clayton through the atmospheric science major at Cornell. Tyler and Clayton often sat together and joked around a bit too much in class. Tyler grew up in Saratoga Springs, NY and has remained upstate to attend the University of Albany where he is working on his PhD. He enjoys running and playing the oboe. He is easy to talk to and is a warm, genuine person.
Rebecca Bruce
Bridesmaid
Becky is one of Kayla’s many cousins. She is in her sixth year at Utica College studying for her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She will be the first doctor in the wedding party! When she isn’t studying, she can be found working as a sensei at the karate school where she got her black belt. Though she is quite strong, she is also one of the most bubbly people we know. Her smile makes everyone around her happy.
Christopher Dickson
Groomsman
Chris also majored in atmospheric science at Cornell but unlike the others went into industry rather than a doctoral program. He currently serves as a Meteorological Developer at WeatherBELL after spending a year working in hurricane research at CFAN. In college, he was part of an a capella group and he still loves music. He is super chill and makes everyone laugh. Chris is also brave, determined, and willing to go after his dreams.
Lauren Astor
Bridesmaid
Kayla met Lauren through their faith community on campus at Ithaca College. They bonded over their love for their home state of New Jersey and quickly began a weekly coffee date on Thursday mornings which continued until Lauren graduated with a degree in Emerging Media in 2019. Lauren lives and works in Brooklyn. She is incredibly loyal and has made the effort to stay in touch with friends no matter how far away they end up living.
Griffin Mooers
Groomsman
Griffin is the fifth member of Clayton’s Cornell friend group. He is now getting his PhD in Atmospheric Science at UC Irvine. When he is not studying hard he can be found climbing slopes or skiing. He has also been known to have a meme, GIF, or saying for absolutely everything. He is a very positive and calming presence. Rarely does he not have a smile on his face.