Former Dreyfoos Student Named Chair of School’s Executive Board

More than two decades after graduating, Andrew Vahab, a 2001 graduate of the school’s Communications program, is back at the Dreyfoos School of the Arts – this time, to help lead its supporting foundation as Chairperson of its Executive Board.

Vahab, now a prominent wealth manager with nearly $5 billion in client assets, has been recognized multiple times by Forbes and Barron’s for his work in finance, including placements on Forbes’ America’s Top Wealth Advisors and Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors lists.

“Being part of Dreyfoos and helping the kids, after once being a student myself, feels full circle,” Vahab said. “People helped me get to where I am, so giving back directly to something that helped me, and what’s better than that?”

Beyond his professional achievements, Vahab has remained closely tied to his alma mater. He began supporting the Foundation during his time at First Republic Bank, eventually joining the alumni board and later serving as Executive Board Secretary. He was unanimously appointed Chairperson earlier this year.

Vahab credits his experience on the school’s speech and debate team as formative, particularly under the guidance of longtime Communications Dean Angela Anyzeski (formerly Angela Weber). He said it was during that time that he honed the public speaking skills and strategic thinking that would later shape his career in finance – skills he now brings back to help guide and uplift the next generation of Dreyfoos students.

“From congress cross-examinations to managing multimillion-dollar portfolios, I still use the resilience [Angela] taught me,” he said.

Now a father of four, Vahab says he balances his time between work, family, and a growing role in supporting the Dreyfoos community. As Chairperson, his priorities include expanding awareness of the school across Palm Beach County and advocating for long-term funding to sustain its academic and artistic programs.

“I want Boca all the way up to Jupiter to know who Dreyfoos is,” said Vahab. “Making sure we have funding for everything, that’s what I want to focus on.”

Foundation CEO Dr. Chris Snyder noted that Vahab’s leadership is already being felt.

“Working alongside Andrew as Chair has been inspiring,” Snyder Said. “He brings heart, vision, and a real commitment to ensuring our students thrive.”

The Foundation, which supports one of the top-ranked public high schools in the country, views Vahab’s appointment as an important step forward in its mission to strengthen arts and academic education at Dreyfoos.