Kimara Ahnert ’91 died on July 9, 2025. Ahnert, a successful makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur, mentored many Goucher alums and previously served on the Goucher College Board of Trustees. Her connection to Goucher grew stronger through her personal relationships with the college. Her sister, Amy Rudeski Baldwin ’04, and childhood friend Christine Fodness Smith ’04 also attended Goucher. During Ahnert’s semester abroad in London, she met Melissa Rotenberg Arcaro ’91, and the two quickly became best friends. Arcaro and Ahnert’s friendship continued after graduation, and the two remained close throughout Ahnert’s battle with ovarian cancer. Included below is Ahnert’s obituary, shared with WWD (Women’s Wear Daily).
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Kimara Ahnert, the celebrated New York makeup artist whose Madison Avenue studio served as a sanctuary for brides, celebrities, society figures, and countless Upper East Side residents seeking to look their absolute best, passed away on July 9, 2025, following a brave fight against ovarian cancer. She was 56 years old.
Renowned for her sophistication, poise, and refined aesthetic sensibility, Ahnert established her studio in 1997 on Madison Avenue, creating a tranquil refuge from the chaos of department store beauty counters. Throughout nearly three decades, she cultivated a devoted clientele among the city’s most sophisticated women, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Julianna Margulies, and Christine Baranski. However, celebrity status was never a prerequisite for receiving star treatment in her chair—Kimara possessed an extraordinary gift for helping every client feel and look their most radiant.
Wedding makeup became her defining expertise, with countless brides—from Catherine Zeta-Jones to her own sister—trusting Ahnert to craft looks that photographed beautifully while appearing flawless in person. Her seasonal makeup collections, featuring fresh yet sophisticated color palettes, embodied her core belief that beauty should enhance one’s natural features rather than conceal them.
Kimara’s journey to Madison Avenue began in Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, where she grew up at her family’s Fernwood Resort. As the eldest of four children, she demonstrated natural leadership and entrepreneurial instincts from an early age. Following her business degree from Goucher College, she pursued makeup artistry training in Baltimore before relocating to New York City. Her early years in the city were spent freelancing and developing her cosmetic line while searching for the ideal location for Kimara Ahnert Makeup Studio—she had always envisioned herself on Madison Avenue. Twenty-eight years later, Kimara’s family and her devoted team of artists and estheticians continue to honor her legacy of timeless beauty and individualized attention.
Her artistry graced the pages of The New York Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Town & Country, and numerous bridal magazines. She frequently appeared on national television programs and beauty panels, generously sharing her knowledge with broader audiences.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ahnert demonstrated unwavering commitment to charitable work, serving on multiple boards, including Goucher College, Mount Sinai Children’s Health and Development Institute, the Princess Grace Foundation, Alvin Ailey Dance Theater Foundation, and Gilda’s Club New York City. Yet she found her most fulfilling volunteer role as a senior team mom for her son Jonathan’s football team.
She is survived by her son, Jonathan Nordlinger; her mother, Bonnie Ahnert Rudeski; partner, Santiago McCarthy; siblings Kevin Ahnert, Gregory Ahnert, and Amy Baldwin; along with extended family.