Class of 1981
Send your news to class co-vice president for communications Suzanne Curley, to co–vice president for communications Charles Taylor, or directly to the BAM at alumni_magazine@brown.edu.
Alfred Siewers was ordained to the priesthood in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, while still continuing to be on the faculty at Bucknell University. Contact Alfred at: frpauls@pm.me.
Kim Triedman and Kathryn Geeismar celebrated their Boston art exhibit, Burning Down The House: Women and Art in an Uncertain World. The show opened on January 11 through February 11 at Brickbottom Gallery and then travels on to other New England locations, including the PEG Center for Arts and Activism and possibly Hera Gallery (R.I.). Kim writes: “It’s important and beautiful and challenging and uncomfortable, and it deserves to be seen—especially this year. Five women artists of a certain age—and a lot to say! I do hope you’re able to get by.”
Jack Silverman is currently living in Nashville with his wife, visual artist Wendy Walker Silverman. He released an album titled Prince of Shadows under the Centripetal Force Records label. He writes: “The music weaves elements of psychedelic rock, jazz noir, and improvisation to create an immersive musical experience—what might best be described as a soundtrack collaboration between Angelo Badalamenti, Pink Floyd, and the Lounge
Anastasia “Stacy” Rubis published her first novel, Oriana, with Delphinium Books after working on it for 11 years. It follows the life and loves of legendary journalist Oriana Fallaci. Contact Stacy at: stacyrubis100@gmail.com.
Carrie Noland writes: “After 35 years of teaching at Columbia University, then the University of California, Irvine, I have retired. I’ve published four books on 19th and 20th century artists/writers and I’ve learned much from teaching the large population of first generation students at UCI, as well as graduate students both in the United States and Europe. I had the privilege of directing the UC system’s education abroad program in France, where both my children, Julian, 32 and Francesca, 26, were able to go to school and learn French. A grandmother of two, I intend to spend my retirement starting a new career as a fiction writer. I’ll also spend more time advocating for action to protect the planet and for the protection of voting rights with a political organization I adore—Sister District. Join me! A shout out to my friends from the classes of 1979, 1980, and 1981; may you all be thriving.”
Abby Schreiber married Jacob Stein in Westerlo, N.Y. on Aug. 5 and a multi-generational group of Brown alums were in attendance. Guests included Matt Doup, Ben Hyman, Ariel Hudes, Allie Kriesberg, Whitaker Lader, Maura Lynch, Kate Gannett Merrill, Liz Mooney, Charlie Posner, Kelsey Keith Posner, Kayla Ringelheim, Allison Seidner Robbins ’81, John Robbins ’78, ’81 MD, Eliot Schreiber ’78, Amin Shaikh, and Cecilia Strombeck.
Paul “Alfred” K. Siewers was ordained to the priesthood in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in August at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, N.Y. Father Paul is assigned to St. John’s Russian Orthodox Mission in Lewisburg, Pa., where he lives with his wife Matushka Olga and their two sons. He also continues as associate professor of literature at Bucknell University.
Thomas Kenney writes: “After 37 years with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Regional Counsel, Region 5 in Chicago as a senior attorney, I have retired from federal service and am looking forward to new adventures and experiences in the coming years, including traveling and chasing down astronomical events like the recent solar eclipse. I hope and plan to make the next reunion in 2026.”
Christine Eskilson (see Arlene Brown Eskilson ’59).
Peter Anderson writes: “Invincible friendships and the endless summer were celebrated on July 18 with a Brown ’81 mini-reunion on the Wallis Sands Beach, Rye, New Hampshire beachfront. Food, drink, and birthday wishes were followed by body surfing in the warmer-than-usual New Hampshire waters with Peter Branagan (the birthday alum), Tom Kong, Paul Sangree, Simon Tse and myself.”
Arlene Brown Eskilson writes: “My grandson, David Eskilson ’26, who graduated in 2022 as valedictorian from a Chicago public high school, follows two grandparents— John Eskilson ’57 and me—as well as his parents Jordana Friedman ’93 and Stephen Eskilson ’90 AM, ’95 PhD, and aunt Christine Eskilson ’81 to Brown. Yay!”
Copresident Robert Lupone reports: “The Class of 1981 was unable to hold its 40th reunion on campus in 2021 due to COVID restrictions. On May 5-7, the class held an “off cycle” reunion in Providence featuring a rooftop cocktail party, a campus tour with Brown’s facilities planning and architect personnel, a faculty lecture, an a cappella concert, and a gala Saturday night dinner. Some classmates enjoyed a Sunday brunch at the Ratty and a tour of a vineyard in southern Rhode Island. About 80 classmates returned to College Hill for the get-together and enjoyed spectacular weather for the entire weekend. My thanks to copresident Naeem Zafar and the entire planning committee for organizing a memorable event.”
Quentin Jay is working as an architect in Hokitika on the South Island of New Zealand. He moved there from Auckland with his wife, Julie. Jay stays in contact with fellow expat Bob Chow ’80.
Christian McBurney writes: “My latest book is Dark Voyage: An American Privateer’s War on Britain’s African Slave Trade. It focuses on a Rhode Island privateer, the brainchild of merchant John Brown, that attacked a British slave trade fort and British slave trading ships on the coast of West Africa during the American Revolutionary War. I continue to publish and edit a leading Rhode Island history blog at smallstatebighistory.com. In an article, I wrote about four Brown undergrads who became successful popular historians; Edward Ball ’82, Eric Jay Dolin ’83, Nathaniel Philbrick ’78, and the late Tony Horwitz ’80. Find the article at the website by searching for Philbrick.
Christian McBurney writes: “My latest book was published earlier this year and it is my most groundbreaking one: An American Privateer’s War on Britain’s African Slave Trade. Providence merchant John Brown was the main investor and mastermind behind the extraordinary voyage. I also continue to publish the leading Rhode Island history blog at smallstatebighistory.com, in which I release one article a week, with a stable of authors. In my latest article, I write about four wonderful popular American history writers who walked the grounds of Brown when I did when we were undergrads: Edward Ball ’82; Eric Jay Dolin ’83, Tony Horwitz ’79 ScM, ’82 PhD, and Nathaniel Philbrick ’78.
Eric Lewin writes: “On July 3, I married the love of my life, Emily Shire, in Mamaroneck (N.Y.) Although Emily made the grave mistake of turning down Brown to attend a school just outside of Boston and not Tufts, fortunately many, many Brunonians, including numerous Brunonian family members, were in attendance. These included father of the bride Howard Shire ’75, mother of the bride Sharon Eisenstat Shire ’81, best man and brother of the groom Adam Lewin ’09, bridesmaid and sister-in-law of the groom Sara Epstein Lewin ’08, and groomsman and brother of the bride Ethan Shire ’19. Other family and friends attending included faculty and alumni ranging from the class of 1975 to the class of 2022.5. I sincerely thank the Alumni Office for letting me borrow a banner for the photo. Ever True!” (see Howard Shire ’75).
Stephen Curtin writes: “Hello old classmates! I was going through BAM and perusing ‘The Classes’ and ‘Obituaries’ sections and thought it would be nice to be able to look up a picture from our glory years. As more and more of the past gets foggier and foggier a picture would speak a thousand words. I can’t find my yearbook (not sure I ever got one!) and the alumni site alludes to class pictures being digitized but are inaccessible. This should be an easy fix in the age of data. I look forward to seeing what we all looked like 41 years ago.”
Reginald Boddie writes: “I am serving as the presiding justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division, in Brooklyn. Class members are welcome to stop in and say hello when in town. In February, my memoir Living Life Against the Odds was published. The book is available online or wherever books are sold.”
Jessie Goldfarb was recently accepted as a psychic reader by California Psychics. She also continues her divorce and family law practice in Boulder, Colo. She visits Louisiana on a regular basis and she is a devotee of zydeco music. She writes: “Ever true friends can reach me at jessiegoldfarb@gmail.com.”
Randall Drain writes: “As an alumnus and pediatrician, I would periodically receive requests to host Brown undergraduate students as interns throughout the year. Recently, I retired from pediatric medicine. Now, I volunteer part-time with a nonprofit agency entitled PSALT NK, an organization supporting North Korean refugees and their families who are living here in the United States. We have begun a program called RISE designed for teens of North Korean families to tutor them in their academic subjects.”
Brian T. Moynihan ’81, CEO of Bank of America, hosted this year’s Latino Corporate Directors Association Convening in New York. Launched in October 2016, LCDA’s inaugural convening has become the most prominent gathering of U.S. Latinos at the highest levels of corporate leadership.The event brings more than 130 CEOs and C-suite executives to discuss boardroom issues, particularly the business case for board diversity and inclusion. Three corporations that have two or more U.S. Latinos on their boards received awards, including Regional Management Corp., where Peter Knitzer ’80 serves as president and CEO.
David Torrence writes: “I am finishing my second year as a high school principal in Xenia, Ohio. I am a ‘war principal’ who was booted out of my building two-thirds of the way through my first year, having only about 70 percent of my students in the building this year. Through it all, my students and staff have been nothing less than amazing. Not a single case of COVID was transmitted in our building and the XHS community has been very supportive of each other as we have worked together to get through this year. I’m looking forward to the ’21-’22 school year, when, with luck, we can operate for a full year without having to wear masks. Anyone wishing to touch base can find me at d_e_torrence@yahoo.com. And if anyone can convince Brad Stevens to leave the Celtics to come coach the Hoosiers, I’d greatly appreciate the favor.”
Tom Ratcliffe directed The Stand: How One Gesture Shook the World, a film about circumstances that led runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos to raise their fists in protest of racial inequality at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, the great personal risks they took, and the subsequent fallout they endured. Through intimate interviews with the participants and witnesses involved in that moment, along with compelling images and archives, the film explores the runners’ historic stand in the context of a critically important and volatile time for the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. Brown professors Brian Meeks and Françoise Hamlin appear in the film.
Dean Herrin writes: “I recently retired as chief historian of the National Capital Region of the National Park Service, in Washington, D.C. I live in Frederick, Maryland, with my wife Sarah Heald, and we have a daughter, Emma, who lives in Wilmington, North Carolina. I’m looking forward to working on my own research projects, and I have to say I’m a little shocked at how quickly we’re moving toward the front of the alumni pages.”
Scott Daube believes he has changed little since graduating from Brown, neither good nor bad, but is not sure if that is really true. He drinks tea at least twice a day, as always, but it is nowhere near as boring as it sounds. He has had the same job for the past 25 years, still finding it stimulating and challenging, sometimes too much so. He says a big hello to anyone who used to know him at Brown who cares to listen, and perhaps even to those who don’t, and wishes them well. He can be reached at scdaube@icloud.com.
Lawrence Douglas published Will He Go?: Trump and the Looming Election Meltdown in 2020 in May before the 2020 election. A professor at Amherst College, Douglas has received national and international attention for his book, which outlined the prospect of an electoral meltdown and a less-than-peaceful transition of power from Trump.
Mary K. Miluski (see Joe and Jane Bertram Miluski ’58).
Jeri Aitken Larson writes: “After almost 20 years of desk jockeying, I could have further irritated my spinal curvature, but instead I retired. I remain an inactive but grateful and healthy partner with Edward Jones. I credit my family, the U.S. Navy, and my chiropractor for my current state of health—fabulous for almost 62. I was never going to marry, never going to have children, etc. I now have one son (30), two daughters (24 and 32), and three granddaughters (12, 6, and less than 1 year). I live large and love large.”
Joe and Jane Bertram Miluski are staying home and keeping well, and managed a tiny Christmas socially distancing with two of their five children: Hank and Mary K. Miluski ’81. Jane is filling the days with reading, knitting, and walking but was gleefully anticipating reaching a three-day, distanced-but-live watercolor workshop in February. She remains grateful that in 2019 she realized a dream of getting most of their large family together for two weeks in a Tuscan vineyard.
Barkley Stuart ’81, executive vice president and board member of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, is the recipient of the 2020 Icon Award from the Women’s Leadership Council of the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America. The Icon Award recognizes Barkley for his advocacy work to advance women and champion diversity within the wholesale wine and spirit field.
Rob Feinstein announces his new book Launched: Start Your Career Right After College, Even During a Pandemic, which he says “will be of great interest to all Brown students and new grads. My book is a practical, step-by-step guide to setting a career foundation while still in college or with a new degree. It’s full of insights, advice and new techniques found nowhere else. It’s available on Amazon.com.”
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has appointed members to several sector advisory councils charged with providing guidance to shape New York City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and help restart the city’s economy and life. Among the appointed were Ken Giddon ’81, proprietor of Rothman’s Men’s Clothing, to the Small Business Sector Advisory Council and Joshua Silverman ’91, CEO of Etsy, to the Large Business Sector Advisory Council.
Glenn Kessler’s book Donald Trump and His Assault on Truth: the President’s Falsehoods, Misleading Claims, and Flat-Out Lies was published on June 2 with Simon & Schuster.
Alfred Siewers writes: “I’m teaching English at Bucknell University again, after a year fellowship at Princeton’s James Madison Program, where I was William E. Simon Research Fellow in Religion and Public Life. Last year, I was ordained a Subdeacon in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. I am warden of a mission church in Lewisburg, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco. My wife and I have two sons, one of whom is taller than me now, and another who soon will be.
John J. Sullivan ’81, Deputy Secretary of State, was also nominated by President Donald Trump to be the U.S. Ambassador to Russia.
Laila Mehdi writes: “We now have two Brown grads in our house. It was a blast marching in the alumni procession for my son Jack Hilfinger’s ’19 graduation in May. Jack concentrated in computer science and economics. I have been living outside Seattle with my family since 1996. I am a member of the Seattle Philharmonic Orchestra and teach private violin and viola lessons.”
Brian T. Moynihan ’81, CEO of Bank of America, hosted this year’s Latino Corporate Directors Association Convening in New York. Launched in October 2016, LCDA’s inaugural convening has become the most prominent gathering of U.S. Latinos at the highest levels of corporate leadership.The event brings more than 130 CEOs and C-suite executives to discuss boardroom issues, particularly the business case for board diversity and inclusion. Three corporations that have two or more U.S. Latinos on their boards received awards, including Regional Management Corp., where Peter Knitzer ’80 serves as president and CEO.
Liz Berman Hazen writes that her daughter Julia Hazen ’08 married Zev Simpser on June 8. In attendance were Michelle Beaulieu ’08, Sally Berman ’81, Kimbie Casten ’08, Hillary Dixler ’08, Dave Eichler ’09, Ned Hazen ’73, Lara Henneman ’07, Howell Jackson ’76, Nancy Leopold ’76, John Magladery ’73, Jordan Middendorf ’08, Connie Berman Moore ’85, Nina Mozes ’08, Stuart Schussel ’08, and Jeff Wagner ’73.
Abby Colella married Dan Davidson ’11 and the following people were in attendance: father of the bride, Jay Colella ’79; man of honor, James Anglin Flynn ’11; aunt of the bride, Kim Colella DeMagistris ’81; Matthew Aks ’11; Michael Bleicher ’11; Skylar Fox ’15; Jenny Gorelick ’14; Natan Last ’12; Kelly Mallahan ’11; Jessie Medofer ’13; Kate Monks ’13; Meredith Mosbacher ’11; Luke Rohde ’11; Sam Schmerler ’11; Christiana Stephenson ’11; Adam Wyron ’13; and Leandro Zaneti ’12.
Sue Kalt writes: “2019 is UNESCO’s Year of the Indigenous Languages. I’ve been researching and documenting language change in rural Quechua-speaking communities of Bolivia and Peru for the past dozen years while teaching community college in Boston. Your help is needed to finish publication of my second archival video collection of storytelling interviews with children in Chuquisaca. See MamaSusan.org for more details.”
Susan Ross published a second middle grade novel in February titled Searching for Lottie. It is a contemporary mystery about a 12-year-old girl researching the young violinist she was named after who disappeared during the Holocaust. The story was inspired by members of Susan’s family. Susan wrote about discovering the music of a relative who perished in “Sweet Strings of Sorrow” https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2012-05-23/sweet-strings-of-sorrow, a 2012 May/June BAM article.
Elena Thornton Kissel’s daughter Lucy Kissel ’13 married Evan Altman ’13 on Aug. 24 in Newport, R.I.
Tom Wadden and George Bray ’53 published Handbook of Obesity Treatment, Second Edition (Guilford Press). Tom writes: “George and I were pleased to recall Brown in the book’s acknowledgement section: ‘We also pay tribute to our alma mater, Brown University, which we both attended as undergraduates more than 20 years apart, and left inspired to pursue careers in science. Little did we know that our paths would cross again in our efforts to treat obesity and diabetes. And finally, we thank our wives (whom we both met at Brown) for their love, support, and understanding.’ We are also principal investigators in Look AHEAD, a study investigating the long-term health consequences of weight loss and increased physical activity in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity run by professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Alpert Medical School, Dr. Rena Wing. Delia Smith West ’81 was the principal investigator from the University of Alabama. The Look AHEAD study is funded by the National Institutes of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disease, which is directed by Dr. Griffin Rodgers ’76.
Naeem Zafar and Glenn Adler finally found each other in Silicon Valley and joined forces in a new startup (www.telesense.com ) to tackle the problem of stored grain quality monitoring and predictive analytics using IoT (Internet of Things) and AI technologies. They are working together in Sunnyvale, Calif., and welcome collaboration from all classmates who are into AI or AgTech. After raising $6.5 million in funding they have built a team of 20 people and are growing fast. Naeem is still teaching entrepreneurship at UC Berkeley but runs TeleSense full time.
Andrea Murano Campbell has twins—a boy and a girl. She continues to sing on the side.
Donald C. Eversley writes: The Black Alumni Reunion was the best Brown event by far I’ve ever attended. I’m happy to be working in both healthcare and economic development in South Bronx, where I see Lewis Spann ’81 every day.”
Katherine J. Wheaton writes: “In May 2015, I graduated from the University of Maryland School of Nursing (Baltimore), with my MSN. I completed a yearlong nurse residency at Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, Maryland, and am a registered nurse in direct patient care. I love being a nurse, but the long shifts are admittedly difficult. My husband, Jeffrey Zalusky, and I travel as much as we can and visited Australia in February. We are able to check off diving and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef from our bucket list.”
Mary Frates was promoted to professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in July 2017. She is an assistant director of ultrasound in the department of radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and is married to John Parziale ’79.
John Bauman writes: “I met up with my freshman roommate Rob Goldberg for the first time in more than 36 years over breakfast at Factor’s Deli in Los Angeles. As a grandpa twice over, he looks ridiculously young. I discovered I was having dinner next to a Kevin Kline look alike, Richard Wright ’82, whom I never knew at Brown but have subsequently become good friends with. My daughter Isabelle Bauman ’19 is still loving Brown.”
Beth Tuttle writes: “In November, I began a new position as president and CEO of the American Horticultural Society in Alexandria, Virginia, which used to be part of George Washington’s Mt. Vernon estate. As a master gardener, this is a dream job. Please visit us at ahsgardening.org.”
Margaret Brooks ’83 AM, ’89 PhD writes: “I was an RUE student while attending Brown as an undergraduate, and I served as president of Resumed Undergraduate Student Association in my senior year. I graduated magna cum laude and with departmental honors. I have had a long and successful career teaching economics at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts, where I have worked full-time since 1984. In recent years I have also been working to advance financial literacy in our state and region as the president of two Rhode Island–based nonprofits. I am a primary organizer for the Financial Capability Conference, which was held at Rhode Island College on Dec. 9. Under my leadership, financial literacy has become a growing collaborative effort in our state.”
Susan Sard Tierney was confirmed as a probate and family court judge in Massachusetts. She is assigned to Worcester County but will be appointed to Suffolk County (Boston).
Christian McBurney edited and coauthored a new book, World War II Rhode Island (History Press, 2017), about military and civilian life in the state during the war years. He also continues to edit the Rhode Island history blog www.smallstatebighistory.com.
Warren Trepeta ’76 AM, ’81 PhD writes: “My youngest son, Glenn Philip Trepeta, graduated cum laude in May with a bachelor of science in business economics from the Farmer School of Business at Miami University of Ohio. He is working at KPMG in San Francisco.”
Arlene Brown Eskilson is a retired sociology professor (Lake Forest College) and current antiques dealer. Her two children also graduated from Brown: daughter Christine Eskilson ’81 and son, Stephen Eskilson ’90 AM, ’95 PhD.
From the November/December 2017 Issue
Kathleen Palombo King published her 32nd book in February 2017 with Wiley/Jossey Bass publishers, Technology and Innovation in Adult Learning. Kathy is a full professor and program director of the doctoral degrees in higher education and policy studies at the Univ. of Central Florida, College of Education and Human Performance, Orlando.
Marlon Maus published a book with William Satariano on public health and aging called Aging, Place, and Health: A Global Perspective. He is codirector of the doctorate program in public health at UC Berkeley and adjunct professor in the school of public health. He writes: “For me this has been a big change from being an oculoplastics surgeon.”
From the September/October 2017 Issue
Christine Eskilson (see Arlene Brown Eskilson ’59).
From the July/August 2017 Issue
Meta Wagner’s book, What’s Your Creative Type? Harness the Power of Your Artistic Personality, was published in April.
From the May/June 2017 Issue
Richard Harriman retired and left Saudi Arabia after 12 years of teaching, managing, and analyzing the business impact of large-scale human development programs. He is moving with his wife of 30 years, Heidi, to Greece. He writes: “Next up will be to tweak our small Cretan olive farm into an educational center serving a variety of purposes and populations, from experiential holidays to corporate strategy retreats to programs that provide student refugee populations respite from the camps and a leg up when they hit their destination economies. Brown students and alumni visiting Crete or wanting to share the expertise/experience in a beautiful setting and to great effect should contact Villa Koukouvayia Farms. The website is under construction.”
Beth Tuttle is president and CEO of the nonprofit Data Arts, which brings the language and leverage of data to cultural enterprise. While still living in Alexandria, Va., with her husband, Bob, she works in Philadelphia during the week. Beth writes: “Anyone in either place, please connect with me.”
From the March/April 2017 Issue
Dr. Mary Kay Ellis and Dr. Toby Peters were married Aug. 12, in Nashotah, Wisc. The wedding party was composed of their children: Emma, Ellie, Fletcher, and Henry Metz, and Kiley and Paige Peters. Brown alumni in attendance were Beth Ryan Kundert, Diane Flannery Knight, Corrine Yu, and Debbie Benzil. Mary Kay is an ophthalmologist with the Aurora Medical Group, and Toby consults in the area of organizational development after a 35-year career in higher education. After an adventurous honeymoon biking in Italy and exploring a Greek island, the newlyweds reside in Oconomowoc, Wisc.
Elena Kissel is working as the director of donor relations for the Green Schools Alliance. She is gearing up for her youngest daughter’s graduation from Brown in May and has enjoyed her participation in the Brown Parents Leadership Council.
Marlon Maus was promoted to adjunct professor at the School of Public Health of UC Berkeley.
From the September/October 2016 Issue
Rob Goldberg (see Elana Goldberg Schrank ’08).
Craig Patenaude (see Bill Chadwick ’58).
From the July/August 2016 Issue
Susan Ross’s debut middle-grade novel, Kiki and Jacques, about a Somali refugee girl and boy from Maine, was chosen for the Bank Street Best Children’s Books List, 2016.
From the May/June 2016 Issue
Tom Jacobs is president of InterVision Media, a software development firm focused on health care research and intervention. He writes: “Twenty years ago—after surviving a decade in the ad agency business in Cincinnati—I moved to Eugene, Oregon, as a multimedia developer for InterVision. We partnered with leading behavioral research scientists across the United States and abroad to create technology solutions that help people quit smoking, get more exercise, fight depression, and deal with chronic diseases. A related and evolving area of expertise is medical practice transformation. In collaboration with the Univ. of Colorado Department of Family Medicine, we are working to develop the Shared Practice Learning and Improvement Tool, an online program that helps practices track performance in key building blocks of advanced health care delivery.”
Lloyd Slonin writes: “Just wanted to let friends know that I live in the Providence area, so I’ll be at the cookout at our reunion this year.”
Susan Sard Tierney writes: “2015 was an exciting year. I got remarried to Rob Tierney, and we are enjoying life on Cape Cod as empty nesters (we have five grown children between us). I continue to practice family law with the firm of Dunning, Kirrane, McNichols & Garner LLP in Mashpee, Massachusetts, and was one of two attorneys in the state to receive a Lelia J. Robinson award from the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association. The award, named after the first woman admitted to the Massachusetts Bar, is awarded annually to those who have ‘captured the spirit of pioneering in the legal profession and have made a difference in their community.’”
From the March/April 2016 Issue
Anita Flax (see Elliott Negin ’76).
Clare Boerschlein Hare (see Karen R. Brown ’89).
From the January/February 2016 Issue
The class leaders write: “Save the date! Our 35th reunion is around the corner, and you don’t want to miss the fun! Mark your calendars for the weekend of May 27–29, 2016. We’ll be in touch soon with more details, and we’re looking forward to seeing you! And join our ‘closed’ Facebook group, Brown University Class of 1981, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/56874683295/ .”
Tony Alfieri (see Porpoise Evans ’93).
Mia Vieyra attended the graduation of one daughter, Elisa Leser ’15, in May before returning to Providence for orientation with her other daughter, Sarah Leser ’19. Mia writes: “The campus was beautiful in both May and September. Being a Brown parent is great—all the pleasure and none of the stress and work!”
From the November/December 2015 Issue
Jane Dray Katzman (see Betty Leaver Goff ’53).
From the May/June 2015 Issue
Marion Abrams Golin and Eric Golin ’85 ScM, ’91 PhD (see Sanford Golin ’51).
Christian McBurney is the founder and editor-in-chief of smallstatebighistory.com , a website devoted to publishing articles on Rhode Island history. He has a team of 20 authors and welcomes more. His most recent book is Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island.
Beth Tuttle has been working in the cultural sector for the past 20 years and now is president and CEO of the nonprofit Cultural Data Project. She writes: “Our mission is to strengthen the performance, vitality, and public impact of the arts and cultural sector through the power of high-quality data. I coauthored a book on high-performance museums titled Magnetic: The Art and Science of Engagement in 2013. As my coauthor lives in Providence, I got to spend a lot of time there catching up on the great food and arts offerings. Give a shout if you are in Philly or D.C.”
From the March/April 2015 Issue
After completing his doctorate, Marlon Maus is teaching and doing research at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. He and his partner live near campus and would love to hear from any friends visiting the Bay Area.
Nancy Northup writes: “On Aug. 30, I married James E. Johnson (Harvard ’83) at All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. It was a joy to have our children walk us down the aisle: Natalie Northup Bergner, a recent Northwestern graduate; Abby Johnson, a Yale senior; Miles Northup Bergner ’16; and Amalya Johnson, a junior at Montclair High School in New Jersey. Jim’s brother Durwin Johnson ’77 was also a member of the wedding party. I loved celebrating the day with classmates Neal Karlen, Alex Moss, Mary Renda, Robert Riger, Chuck Strouse, and Rick Thigpen. Jim and I met in 1990 when we were prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Jim went on to serve in the Clinton administration as Under Secretary of the Treasury for Enforcement and is now a litigation partner at Debevoise & Plimpton. After litigating voting rights and democracy cases at the Brennan Center for Justice, I joined the Center for Reproductive Rights, a global human rights organization, as its president & CEO. Looking forward to seeing everyone at our 35th reunion in 2016!”
William Osborn writes that his youngest son, Cameron Osborn, will attend Brown as a member of the class of 2019.
Lauren Wolk writes: “After a bidding war among seven publishers at six houses, my novel, Wolf Hollow, will be published in 2016 by Dutton/Penguin/Random House. It will also be published by Penguin/Random House UK, Hanser in Germany, Leya in Brazil, and Salani in Italy. All of them have compared the book to To Kill a Mockingbird. Wolf Hollow will be released as a young adult/middle grade novel with adult crossover potential.”
From the January/February 2015 Issue
Pete Anderson writes that he toured Tom Kong’s “new” home in Santa Clara, Calif. The 1886 home is befitting of a Brown engineer’s dream, with solar panels that produce more electricity than the home consumes and a large garage that fits in well with one of Tom’s favorite pastimes: amateur car racing.
Jane de Winter writes: “It has been such a pleasure visiting Brown more frequently to see my daughter, Marguerite Joutz ’15. I’d love to be in touch with Brown friends.”
Sarah Sharlot Dietrich writes: “My oldest son is in his sophomore year at Harvey Mudd College. His brother is applying to colleges. I’m a lawyer in NRG Energy’s Houston office. The kids don’t want to be lawyers. I’m glad they grew up to be independent thinkers.”
Melissa Goldsmith published a memoir, On the Okey Dokey Trail: A Smart-Aleck Perspective on the Give and Take of Life, under the pseudonym I. Leigh Private.
From the July/August 2014 Issue
Larry Carbone writes: “2014 is a celebration for the Carbone family: 25 years of marriage to Stacie, 30 years with Abbott Nutrition, and two Buckeyes—Alexa, a senior, and Paxson, a sophomore. If any Brunonians get to Columbus, Ohio, e-mail me. Would love to share a brew or of course, the Delt way, a shot of Jack.”
Arlie Nogay reconnected with Brian Knowles ’80 after 35 years to attend a concert by jazz guitarist Pat Metheny in Schenectady, N.Y. Brian’s classmate Dan Gottsegen ’80 joined them. Arlie and Brian wandered into their first Metheny concert on a whim on a cold winter night in 1978 after spotting a little sign outside Alumnae Hall on the Pembroke campus that read “Concert Tonight.”
From the May/June 2014 Issue
Holley Atkinson was selected to attend the White House Social for the State of the Union address on Jan. 28. Kori Schulman ’08 is the director of online engagement for the White House’s Office of Digital Strategy, which puts these events together.
John Fenton writes: “After 15 years away from the game, I reunited with Joe McDonnell and Mark Farnham in Westin, Florida, to compete in the Florida Lacrosse Classic Tournament. We played in the Ultra Grand Masters Division (55 and over) and made it to the championship game, where we lost our first and last game to Elder Statesmen. Fun can still be had without speed, quickness, and endurance!”
Shepherd Iverson (alias Ken Shepherd), hockey player and member of the student council, has published One Korea: A Proposal for Peace (McFarland). He writes: “This book may help create peace in East Asia.” He says that his Korean Peace Fund proposal may soon be institutionalized and privately funded with billions of dollars. “I teach at Inha Univ., in Incheon, South Korea, where I live with my wife and 10-year-old trilingual son.”
Teresa Jacobs writes: “It has been a very busy many years. Our 21st year in the Seattle area and our sixth year in Bellevue! I run my own independent sleep clinic, Creekside Sleep Medicine Center. What an adventure it has been. I am still singing and am now in my 21st year with the Seattle Choral Company. I enjoyed watching The Sing-Off with my daughter, who is now in tenth grade, and my husband, Jim.”
Christian McBurney released his second book focusing on R.I. in the Revolutionary War, Kidnapping the Enemy: The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee and Richard Prescott. It focuses on the spectacular capture of General Prescott on Aquidneck Island in July 1777 by Providence’s William Barton, and the tragic impact this had on Barton later in life.
Gena Cohen Moses writes: “My son, Joshua Moses ’13, graduated in May and my daughter, Abigail Moses ’14, is right behind him. Just a few more trips to College Hill then it’s the next generation’s turn.”
John Nicholas Prassas writes: “I enjoyed Professor Tannenbaum’s recent visit and talk with Dallas alums. I just launched HityourBullseye.com and a couple of new books to help folks live on-target lives of destiny, success, and happiness. I enjoyed my recent contact with Steve Jordan ’82, Brad Blank ’82, Celeste Alleyne, and Mike Audi. Would love to hear from others!”
From the March/April 2014 Issue
John Bauman and his wife, Jill, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in December. They have two children: Isabelle, 16, and James, 14. John’s mother, Adele Anthony ’49, turned 87 in August and is still going strong on a houseboat in Sausalito, Calif. John runs a management company for TV and film writers and directors. Jill runs a nonprofit that organizes volunteer teams in assisting the homeless.
Larry Carbone and his wife, Stacie, celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Larry is in his 30th year with Abbott Laboratories. Alexa, 21, and Paxson, 19, are both Buckeyes and are enjoying college.
Alan Friedman moved to the Chicago area to work as medical director of rheumatology at AbbVie and is “really enjoying the new challenges.”
David Klumpar writes: “My son is off to the Univ. of Michigan to become a Wolverine. I accepted an appointment as associate professor of medicine at Methodist Univ. in North Carolina. My dermatology practice continues with the opening of a fourth office headquartered in Pinehurst, N.C. Any friends should please feel free to contact me if they are in the area (or not!).”
Chuck McCoy is an owner and partner of Creative Alignments Inc., a human resources and recruiting firm specializing in high-tech and natural foods industry recruiting. Creative Alignments is located in Boulder, Colo.
Bob Samors writes: “My wife, Ann Tutwiler (Davidson ’80), is director general of Bioversity International in Rome, while I am senior external relations manager at the Group on Earth Observations in Geneva. Older son Joshua is building a career in theater in Philadelphia, while younger son Noah is completing his junior year at Skidmore College."
From the January/February 2014 Issue
Elizabeth Barratt-Brown writes: “We are living between Washington, D.C., and Mallorca, Spain, where we run an olive and sheep estate and rent out the main and other houses for holidays, weddings, and retreats. I still work with the Natural Resources Defense Council, but now as a consultant so I can get away to harvest olives and make our organic olive oil. Bos Dewey and I have two great kids: Barratt, 13; and Eliza, 11, who also like to pick olives. Come visit!”
Paul Fedorowicz, who has lived in Seattle for the past 30 years, changed his name and gender to Laura Wolfe Gardener on Nov. 15, 2011. With a master’s in psychotherapy from Seattle Univ., Laura has worked primarily in private practice as a Jungian psychotherapist, but she also teaches and performs music and teaches Hatha yoga. During 2012–13, Laura attended the Seattle Culinary Academy and in her position as a nanny is enjoying teaching her charges to cook. In her urban backyard farm she gardens and raises chickens, rabbits, and tuxedo cats. She also cares for her 90-year-old-plus parents in her home and loves to sing karaoke and perform vocal jazz.
Rob Goldberg (see Elana Goldberg Schrank ’08).
Virginia Tortolani McQueen (see Brenda Williams McLean ’58).
From the November/December 2013 Issue
David Rome (see p. 53, Engagements & Weddings, Benjamin Rome ’10).
Kim Triedman’s new book, The Other Room, was launched on Oct. 10 at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, Mass. It is available at Amazon and other online merchants.
From the September/October 2013 Issue
Victoria Kaprielian is associate dean for faculty development and medication education at the Campbell Univ. School of Osteopathic Medicine. She writes: “After 23 years on the faculty at Duke, it was time for a change. The opportunity to create a new medical school from the ground up and help improve healthcare in rural North Carolina is truly exciting.”
Jane de Winter is serving as interim executive director of a nonprofit that provides out-of-school-time programs in foreign languages and science and engineering.
From the May/June 2013 Issue
Christine Talbot Eskilson received Honorable Mention in the 2012 Al Blanchard Award contest for short crime fiction by a New England author or featuring a New England setting. She was honored for her first published story, “They Call Me Mr. Fussy,” which is published in Best New England Crime Stories: Blood Moon from Level Best Books. Christine is the deputy regional solicitor and OSHA Counsel for the U.S. Department of Labor in New England.
Elena Thornton Kissel works for the Green Schools Alliance in New York City. Her daughter Lucy Kissel ’13 will be marching through the gates at Brown’s graduation. Lucy’s sister, Rosalie, will be a freshman at Brown this fall.
Blaise Messinger was named the 2013 Connecticut Teacher of the Year.
Dean Ziff writes: “Robert Krausz ’79 got hitched this past summer to Monica Stein. The wedding was an idyllic outdoor affair with loads of his old singing buddies in tow. The High Jinks were performing day and night, including during the sacred service itself, where Cantor Jack Chomsky ’77 brought grace and charm to the chupah. In attendance were Sean Altman ’84, Neil Freedman, Kenneth Freundlich, and John Haak ’80. In addition, I am sad to report that Daniel Scharfman ’79, ’79 AM died in January of a sudden massive heart attack. The space in this column is far too small to recount the greatness of this High Jink, class member, and extraordinary human.”
From the March/April 2013 Issue
Richard E. Gamache is now a partner at Chapin Intellectual Property Law LLC, located in Southborough, Mass. He specializes in patent and trademark protection.
Rick Olson has been appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan and is now living in Islamabad. He looks forward to meeting other Brown alums in Pakistan.
From the January/February 2013 Issue
Jessie Goldfarb earned a 2009 master's degree in spiritual psychology from the Univ. of Santa Monica and in 2012 added an emphasis in conciousness, health, and healing to that degree. After 22 years as an enforcement attorney with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, she is practicing family law, specializing in conscious divorce in Colo.
From the November/December 2012 Issue
Kim Borman, president of KSV|Boston, has become sole owner of the agency along with its executive creative director Doug Chapman, and they have relaunched as Avenue Brand.
From the May/June 2012 Issue
Laurin Watkins Wittig writes: “My writing career stalled for a few years, but last year I re-released my out-of-print books independently in e-book format, and suddenly I had a career again, a much better one than the first time around. Montlake Romance, Amazon’s new romance publisher, noticed and contracted to bring out new editions of The Legacy of MacLeod duo, Charming the Shrew and Daring the Highlander. I’m thrilled to be actively involved in the new paradigms developing in the publishing industry. I’m particularly enjoying the freedom to experiment that has never been available to authors before. You can get more info on the books and what I’m up to these days at LaurinWittig.com.”
From the March/April 2012 Issue
Tom Easton, the American finance editor at The Economist, has won the 2011 Bastiat Journalism Prize.
Joe Hollander writes that Michael Benfante ’87 published Reluctant Hero, which details the account of how Michael and his friend carried a wheel-chaired person down 80 flights in the World Trade Center before its collapse, and his tribulations following this ordeal.
Christian McBurney announces the release of his new book, The Rhode Island Campaign: The First French and American Operation of the Revolutionary War (Westholme, 2011). He had a book lecture and signing at the Brown Bookstore on Dec. 7 and at the R.I. Historical Society on Mar. 15. Christian writes: “At the recent Class of ’81 Reunion, I enjoyed seeing old friends, including Roy Hong, Peter Burrow, and Jeff Senior; I later attended Jeff’s wedding during Hurricane Irene. I continue to be a tax attorney during the day.”
Irene Sinrich Sudac has been named vice president of financial services at Snap-on Incorporated, and is on the board of directors of Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin.
Robert A. Whitney writes: “After many years in the private sector, I recently became the deputy commissioner and general counsel of the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, which is the state agency that regulates the insurance industry in Massachusetts. So far, it has been a great experience! My wife, Marcy, and I continue to live on Beacon Hill in Boston with our son Adam, 4, and our daughter Jordan, 2. This past summer, I went for a weekend sailing trip on Long Island Sound with Scott Miller, Dom Tammaro ’84 MD, Scott’s brother Jeff, and our friend and honorary Brown alumnus, Howard Homonoff. We’ve all been sailing together on an annual basis (with several large gaps due to crew members’ busy schedules and living abroad) for over 30 years, having started the tradition while still undergraduates at Brown.”
From the January/February 2012 Issue
Roberta Wallace Coffey writes: "I've just spent a weekend strolling Crane Beach, reflecting, and working on final edits for my memoir, entitled Breathing Room, in which Brown plays a significant role. My years on that campus were invaluable, and I think back fondly on that time."
Carolyn Kozuch DeFrancesco has been promoted to vice president of institutional advancement at Greensboro College in Greensboro, N.C. She writes: "My husband, Marty DeFrancesco '79 MD, continues in private practice as an ob-gyn. Our oldest, Maria, is now working, Anna is a junior at Univ. of North Carolina–Chapel Hill, and Marty Jr. is a freshman at North Carolina State. Our youngest, Olivia, is a sophomore in high school, going for a second state championship in basketball." John Leeming II (see John Leeming '50).
Christian McBurney recently published a new book entitled The Rhode Island Campaign: The First French and American Operation in the Revolutionary War.
Jim Walsh (see Theodore Colangelo '57).
From the November/December 2011 Issue
Margaret Hay Dietz (see Bob Hay Jr. '75).
From the July/August 2011 Issue
Laura Cutler Aoki received her master's in literature at the end of 2010. "Better late than never!" she writes. "I'd love to hear from Brown friends."
Paul Delson and his wife, Sheila, and son, Derrick, moved from San Francisco to "the wilds of New Morristown, N.J." Paul is senior counsel at First Solar Inc.
Gena Cohen Moses gets back to Brown often because of her children, Josh '13 and Abby '14. She is still living in N.H.
Mark T. Pierce writes that, after almost four years as the country director for Plan International in Vietnam, he is becoming its Asia regional director, based in Bangkok. Plan International is one of the largest child-focused NGOs in the world, and the new job spans 13 countries with an annual budget of $100 million. "Undoubtedly I will be spending a lot of time in airports," he writes.
Susan Schacht has been accepted as a subject for two medical studies at Stanford, one on chronic fatigue syndrome and the other on chronic Lyme disease. She writes: "After so many years of illness, it's thrilling to see the attention that these diseases are now receiving from prominent scientists and in the media. The surge in interest instills hope for future treatments and, in the meantime, greater appreciation of these conditions among physicians and the whole of society." She would enjoy hearing from old friends, as well as anyone who has had success in treating Lyme despite many years of delay in getting diagnosed.
Mia Vieyra will be at Brown in September, moving in her daughter Elisa '15. Mia has been living in Paris since 1992 and has a psychology practice there. Her other daughter, Sarah, is 13.
From the March/April 2011 Issue
Mark D. Hutchins writes: "We delivered another student to Brown, becoming a parent of '14. It felt real good."
Victoria Kaprielian is vice chair for education in the department of community and family medicine at Duke. She writes that she is enjoying trying to bring together students in different health professions to learn to work well in teams.
Gena Cohen Moses and her husband, Bob, have two kids at Brown: Joshua Moses '13 and Abigail Moses '14.
Susan L. Schwartz was one of 100 educators nationwide to receive an ING Unsung Heroes Award in 2010. She was recognized for two technology projects she implements with her middle school English Language Learners at Marsh Grammar School in Methuen, Mass., where she has been teaching for 13 years.
From the January/February 2011 Issue
Class copresidents Kathryn Kamerschen Streater and Clare Boerschlein Hare write: "Happy New Year and Happy 30th! Looking forward to seeing many classmates at our upcoming 30th Reunion in May. Keep a lookout for our monthly BRAVO e-mail blasts and check our class website, http://alumni.brown.edu/classes/1981/ for info on reunion events and photos of times past. Please join us on Facebook, and feel free to contact your class officers with ideas and questions. Hope to see you soon!"
Holley Atkinson left a longtime executive position in digital media in 2009 to start Making Food Work, which supports local food and sustainable agriculture initiatives in New York City. She also serves as vice chair of Slow Food NYC and the Culinary Historians of New York. You can find her at www.makingfoodwork.com Also in 2009, she became BASC area chair for Staten Island, N.Y. She was honored to serve as a judge of the recent Brown/RISD student-run A Better World by Design challenge to the problem of food deserts. Her husband, Stephen Plumlee, is the chief operating officer of R/GA, a digital agency. Their daughter is a high school senior, so they are immersed in the college application process. Holley hopes to make it to the 30th reunion in May.
Marlene DeMaio writes: "I hope to catch up with classmates and enjoy the wonderful changes at Brown. See you in May."
Michele Berdinis Fagin's play, Who Would You Do, was named a finalist for the 2010 Heideman Award of the Actors Theatre in the 2010 National Ten-Minute Play Contest.
From the September/October 2010 Issue
Eli N. Avila '86 MD became the chief deputy health commissioner for Suffolk County, N.Y. He writes that the job is an ideal situation for synergistically applying his medical, legal, and public health backgrounds and creatively engaging in public service.
Steven Piscuskas writes that the June issue of Elle Décor showcases the contemporary house in Washington, Conn., that he and his wife, Linda Zelenko (RISD '83) designed and furnished. The eight-page cover story spotlights the "modern play of sensual, elegant textures, often with unusual woods and fine leathers, a look that reflects country ease without sacrificing urban style." Expanded and redesigned, the house is furnished with pieces from Steven and Linda's furniture and design firm, York Street Studio. They write: "With French doors and banks of windows throughout as well as a breezeway, the home draws in the light of the countryside as a major design element. Bringing in the outdoors was integral to the design process and a motivation for the move to Connecticut in the first place. Our two teenage daughters, state equestrian champion Ana and her sister, Sacha, also share this city-meets-country environment."
From the May/June 2010 Issue
In November, Reginald Boddie was elected a judge of the New York City Civil Court for a 10 –year term. He presently sits at the courthouse located at 141 Livingston St. in Brooklyn.
Laura C. Hanley writes she is proud of the things going on at Brown as well as the work of the Alumni Association.
Michael Rossi '84 MD is currently the physician executive director of the Lehigh Valley Physician Group, and holds the Walter May Endowed Chair in Cardiology at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa., as well as a clinical professorship in medicine at Penn State Univ. He is married with four children.
From the January/February 2010 Issue
Celeste Alleyne started a small business called Soul Cups Cupcakes. She writes that she was trained by her father, who was a professional chef, and studied in Tuscany, at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and at various California cooking schools. Visit the company website at www.soulcups.com.
Neal Karlen's paperback edition of his seventh book, The Story of Yiddish: How a Mish-Mosh of Languages Saved the Jews, was published last April by Harper Collins.
John Leeming writes that he vicariously experiences rowing at a whole new level through his son, Hunter, a high school junior. Hunter's youth 4 placed sixth out of 75 at the Head of the Charles in Boston last October in the rain and snow. John is president of Sarasota Crew, a 130-member youth rowing program that features both sweep rowing and sculling. He writes: "I feel like a financial advisor with a rowing problem. While not officially empty-nesters yet, with two in college and Hunter rarely home, it is too quiet. I recently finished my first book in a series titled What Was I Thinking (available at Amazon), and I have started a weekly blog on various financial topics at www.johnleeming.com."
Melanie Northrop writes that she thoroughly enjoys her new identity as a Brown parent and is delighted to be visiting campus and eating in Providence regularly. Her daughter Sarah Forman '13 is now the third generation of women in the family to live in Andrews Hall. Sarah's grandmother Diane Lake Northrop '54 was a math major, and Melanie focused on English literature and European history. Sarah's interests lie in languages, Middle East studies, and community health. Sarah's sister Rachel is now a junior at Boston Univ., and 15-year-old Rebecca is still at home in Wellesley, Mass. Melanie loves working with college and graduate students at Harvard Health Services, where she provides case management and clinical coordination for the Mental Health Service.
Cynthia Vagelos Roberts celebrated her 20th wedding anniversary last year. She writes: "My romantic, poetic husband, Bill Roberts (Howard '79), and I get great joy from our daughters Cara, 18, and Lydia, 14, who are teaching us how to parent teens."
From the November/December 2009 Issue
Eric Lane enjoyed a fellowship at the artists' colony Yaddo, where he worked on his play Heart of the City. The play premiered at the Theatre at 30th Street in New York City and is scheduled for publication by Playscripts. Currently, Eric is co-editing his 12th contemporary play anthology, which will be published by Vintage.
Anthony Lin writes: "Cara and I have lived in Palo Alto since 1991. I'm an anesthesiologist in a busy private practice group but still find time to interview prospective Brown applicants. Alexandra, 18, will be a freshman at Yale this fall, while Nicholas, 13, is a rising eighth grader."
Ginny Tortolani McQueen (see Joan Hoost McMaster '60).
Robert Whitney joined the Boston office of White and Williams as counsel in the commercial-litigation department and became a member of the Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith Practice Group. Robert and his wife, Marcy Axelrad, also announce the June 22 birth of Jordan Hannah Whitney. Jordan joins big brother Adam, 2. The family lives on Beacon Hill in Boston and frequently sees Robert's former roommate of four years, Scott Miller, who has returned to the Boston area with his family after living abroad for many years.
From the September/October 2009 Issue
Jane de Winter is running for Montgomery County Council at Large; the election will be in 2010. She serves on the county's Commission for Children and Youth and recently completed two years as the president of the county's largest child advocacy organization.
From the July/August 2009 Issue
Beth Merkin (see Berry Merkin '57).
Gary Glickman writes: "The Dream Brothers (my partner Stephan David Hewitt and I) performed in Provincetown, Mass., in June and July, at the Unitarian Meeting House Theater, from our album of original songs, based on Walt Whitman Lyrics in a show called 'Walt Whitman Sings Provincetown: Songs of Liberation, Body and Soul.' Visit our website for songs and several performance videos at www.dreambrothersmusic.com." Gary finished coursework in the spring for a doctorate in somatic psychology.
Kathleen Palombo King was awarded the 2009 AERA Outstanding Research Publication Award with fellow editor Joan Griggs for their collected volume, Harnessing Innovative Technology in Higher Education. The award was presented at the American Education Research Association division I meeting in April.
From the May/June 2009 Issue
Michele Berdinis Fagin writes: "The Abingdon Theatre Company in New York City did a reading of my first play in Feb. William Barnert '78 rallied the troops to support me and lead the laughter: Joel Maxman '78, Alan Schiffres '79 and Lynda Davey, Philip Kaplan '80, Jessica Stulman Sheinman, and Irvin Lustig '83, '83 ScM."
Karyn Grimm Herndon (see Peter Grimm '58).
Ellen Kuras (see Sarah Flack '89).
Rick Olson is the U.S. Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and has been in Abu Dhabi since Sept. 2008. He welcomes hearing from other Brown alumni in the UAE.
Margery Silberstein writes: "Leonard Bloom '80 and I have been living in Potomac, Md., for the past 19 years and are very pleased to have new neighbors in the White House. Leonard practices urology in a large private-practice group, and I work in the legal department at Clark Enterprises, the parent company to Clark Construction. Our son, Jamie, is a freshman at the Univ. of Michigan, and our daughters, Allison and Kate, are in 11th and 7th grade, so we are once again beginning the college search process. Hello to everyone."
Ted Tracy continues to work for Cisco, and his oldest of four children is applying to college. He recently played a round of golf with Charlie Meister, Don Wilcoxon, and Chuck McCoy.
From the January/February 2009 Issue
John N. Prassas writes: "I recently attended my daughter's graduation at Penn and was reminded how much I missed by skipping our '81 ceremonies to play football in Canada, and how badly I've fallen out of touch. After a few years playing ball while represented by my agent, Brad Blank '82, Suzi and I settled in our hometown of Palos Verdes, Calif., and raised Christina, AJ, and Willie. I cofounded a sports media and marketing company, then served as a local church pastor for almost seven years. Since 2004 we have lived in Dallas, where I helped a friend build a top real estate sales team. I now run my own small brokerage firm and really enjoy helping clients. I've also formed a St. Nicholas Fund to assist homeless and hurting children."
From the November/December 2008 Issue
Carrie Swanson Fleming writes: "After 19 years, I've moved from London to the suburbs for more space and a real garden. Unfortunately, the house is a wreck, so we are spending the next year knee-deep in renovations. Iona, 7, will be attending the international school in Cobham, and Allegra, 2, will start nursery school there next year. Can't believe as I near my 50th birthday that I still have a toddler in nappies while so many of you have kids already at college!"
Peter Friedman writes: "I am now a visiting assistant professor at the Univ. of Detroit Mercy Law School. I will commute from my home in Cleveland, and since I will be also teaching at the Univ. of Windsor and will continue to teach at the Univ. of Amsterdam next May and June, I am confident I have achieved something unique: I have to be the only person on earth who lives in Cleveland and works in Detroit, Windsor, and Amsterdam."
Gary Glickman and partner Stephan released their debut album, Full of Life Now: Love Songs of Walt Whitman, as the Dream Brothers in September (www.dreambrothersmusic.com). They have set Whitman poems to music, including lyrics from his notorious Calamus volume that's about to have its 150th anniversary. Gary plays cello, Stephan sings at the piano; both accompanied by an ensemble of woodwind and Latin percussion.
Kim Triedman will publish a collection of poetry, Bathe In It or Sleep, in November. The book won the 2008 Main Street Rag Chapbook Competition. Kim's daughter, Charlotte Oldsman '11, entered Brown this fall as a transfer.
From the September/October 2008 Issue
Jerry Saliman recently joined the New York law firm Pavia & Harcourt as counsel. He will continue to focus on international corporate and transactional law.
From the July/August 2008 Issue
Catherine Caule is president and board chair of Centretown Community Health Centre in Ottawa, Canada. She encourages people to participate actively in their health outcomes and quality of life. She writes occasional articles and speaks at conferences on the topic of patient participation.
Will Howard '92 PhD was recently on a review panel for the New Zealand component of a multination Antarctic geological drilling project. Coincidentally, it turned out to be an all-Brown geology panel, as the members of the panel were Nick McCave '67 PhD, Tom Crowley '76 PhD, and Will.
Jaime R. Sanchez writes: "Greetings to Linda Mahdesian Peters '82, Eli Avila '86 MD, Santiago Morales '84, and Terry Diaz '82. I'm still practicing hand surgery in Puerto Rico, aching to reacquire my California medical license so I can return to the Bay Area to someday retire!"
Jane Stiles (see Rebecca Spielfogel Polivy '02).
Mark Thurston has lived in Flagstaff, Ariz., since 1986. He works for W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. He writes: "Only company listed in every edition to date of 100 best companies to work for." He's spending lots of time with his wife, Julie, and two teenage daughters, and enjoying the southwest.
From the May/June 2008 Issue
Carol Gilbert writes: "For the past three and a half years I have been enjoying working for an online post-secondary institution, American Public Univ. System, composed of American Military Univ. and American Public Univ.. Our parent company, APEI, went public in November, so it has been a fun and busy year."
Eric Golin '91 PhD was appointed chief technology officer for Eons.com. He will be responsible for designing and bringing Eons' robust technology platform to market. Prior to joining Eons, he served as chief technology officer at Content Objects Inc.
David Klumpar writes: "I am now firmly entrenched as a cosmetic dermatologist in Pinehurst, N.C. Page and I enjoy supporting our teenage son (age 13)! He would like to play basketball for Brown. Carolina Skin Care, a cosmetic dermatology practice that I founded in 1996, continues to grow and pose new challenges and rewards."
From the March/April 2008 Issue
Mark R. Aikins (see Colleen Phillips-Panzini '86).
John Bauman left the Gersh Agency in Beverly Hills, where he has been an agent for 15 years, to start a management/production company of his own. His new company, Bauman Management, represents writers, directors, and producers in film, television, and broadband.
Christine Eskilson writes: "I am living in Boston and working as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor, supervising Occupational Safety and Health Act litigation in New England. I have been married for almost 20 years to Russell Sergeant (RPI '78), and we have two children: Nicholas, 14, and Lucy, 11."
Jeffrey M. Factor is busy in private practice of allergy and immunology in West Hartford, Conn., and with his wife, Susan, is raising three girls: Rebecca, 15, Alyssa, 13, and Lauren, 7. He is codirector of the food allergy program at Connecticut Children's Medical Center and enjoys teaching medical students and residents about allergy, asthma, and immunology.
Randi Dodick Fields writes: "My husband, Bob Fields '79, and I are enjoying life in San Francisco with our two teenagers, Jessica, 15, and Matthew, 13. We continue to stay in touch with many Brown classmates and would love to hear from old friends who may be in the Bay Area."
Bradford Finn-Sherburne is the director of clinical pathology and transfusion medicine at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut. He has a son, Wyatt, born in 1999, and a daughter, Meredith, born in 2001.
Linda Aboody Freeman is director of radiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Basking Ridge, N.J. Her specialty is breast imaging and breast biopsies. She is married to Neil Freeman and has a son, Jason '11.
Alan Friedman writes: "I live in Houston, Tex., with my wife, Beth, and two children: Ben, 17, and Rachel, 15. After years of academia with tenure, I am now a rheumatologist in private practice. In my spare time, I'm an independent concert promoter and live-music fan."
Robert Gross writes: "I have been at Emory University in the department of neurosurgery where, as a 'functional' neurosurgeon, I get to do all manner of interesting surgeries, such as brain stimulation for depression and cellular implants for Parkinson's. I struggle to run a lab at the same time. My wife, Angela, puts up with it, bringing up our rambunctious daughter, Elaina, 4, and her little mime, Brodie, 1. It's not boring. Atlanta is wonderful. If you're here, give me a call."
Richard Harriman is settling into his new home in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. teaching for the Saudi oil company schools. He writes: "We're in the process of buying land to build in Western Crete for vacations and retirement. The kids are growing; Margaret's a sophomore at Putney, Griffin's a budding musician who rarely lets seventh grade cramp his comic style, and we're glad to think that maybe we're done sprinting around the globe, and have slowed to a trot. I hope my Brown friends who are not currently in touch remain well and happy."
Ellen Kuras, a well-known cinematographer of many award-winning feature films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blow, Analyze That, Summer of Sam) had her director debut film, Nerakhoon (The Betrayal), accepted into competition at the Sundance Film Festival. nk.net.
Richard Lemmerman is still living in Tokyo with his wife, Keiko, and daughter, Emily, 15.
Patricia M. Logue writes: "I left my job as director of constitutional litigation for the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, where I had worked for 14 years, to join the circuit court of Cook County as an associate judge in Chicago. I enjoy being on the bench and seeing more of my partner, Marcia Festen, and our daughters, Ruby, 4, and Ella, 2. News from Brown friends is always welcome."
Marlon Maus is working on his doctorate in public health at UC Berkeley. He writes: "If any of my old friends visit the area, feel free to call me!"
Kristin Finke Nealon writes: "We moved from Montevideo to Lima quite suddenly this August. Our two youngest, Liam and Maureen, 15 year-old twins, are still with us. Our older children, Rory, 21, and Katie, 19, are at college in the United States and visit us during their holidays."
Maxanne Resnick writes: "I live in the fabulous and rural Catskill Mountains with my husband and 8-year-old twins. I've had a variety of professional experiences, the last of which was an entrepreneurial foray into the women's wholesale accessories business, which I left two years ago. I continue to handle all the business elements of my husband's community newspapers and a year ago, in my typical overcommitted way, I joined our local school board. It has been an interesting odyssey. I am working very hard, sometimes confounded by the complexity of it and the navigation through an established bureaucracy. Educators out there feel free to contact me with inspirational words."
Frederick J. Rickey has joined Janney Montgomery Scott as a first vice president and portfolio manager in the private client group. He also is a proud Brown parent; daughter Lisa '11 represents the third generation of Rickeys at Brown.
Robert Samors writes: "My son, Joshua, is a freshman at Haverford College and his brother, Noah, is a freshman in high school. I work on higher education policy issues in Washington, D.C., while my wife, Ann, is a program officer for the Hewlett Foundation. My father, Burton Samors '48, passed away in May; my sister, Patricia Samors Benton '79, lives nearby in Bethesda, Md.; and my mother, Harriett Samors, lives in Providence and is a big Brown booster!"
Susan L. Schwartz was one of 16 U.S. educators who participated in a Fulbright-Hays seminar abroad program to India last July and August. She visited several cities around the country to learn about India's education system and visited cultural, religious, and historical sites. Susan is now in her 10th year of teaching English language learners at Marsh Grammar School in Methuen, Mass., and she also teaches in-service courses to district staff.
Stephen L. Sepinuck's third book, Problems and Materials on Bankruptcy Law and Practice, has been published by Thompson/West 2007.
Peter Shaftel and wife, Terri, have a daughter, Allison, 13, and a son, Zachary, 10. Peter does interventional cardiology.
Leah Sigal Spitzer writes: "I've now worked at Pediatric Specialists of Foxboro, Mass., for 19 years and am starting to provide care for the children of my former patients! Mark '81 PhD and I continue to live in Sharon, Mass. Our eldest, Rebecca, is a sophomore at Wellesley College; Max is a senior at Sharon High School applying to schools for next year; Jacob is in ninth grade at Sharon High School."
From the January / February 2008 Issue
Kerri Ratcliffe and Doug Henderson (Cornell ’80) have been happily residing in London since 2000, and their four children are feeling enough at home to begin caring more about the Arsenal’s soccer record than the Jets’ football record.
From the November / December 2007 Issue
Glenn Baker (see Tissa Hami ’95).
Catherine Tiedemann Squasoni writes: “I’m enjoying life as a stay-at-home mom to Douglas, 9, and Jenna, 6. I’m doing lots of volunteer work and finally learning to play tennis. My husband, Doug (Boston College ’86), is an attorney at the newly formed Bank of NY/Melton. We live in Bergen County, N.J.”
Alice Wheelwright (see Gretchen Gross Wheelwright ’56).
From the September / October 2007 Issue
Anthony Alfieri, a law professor and the director of the Center for Ethics and Public Service at the Univ. of Miami School of Law, received the 2007 William Pincus Award and the 2007 Fr. Robert Drinan Award from the Association of American Law Schools. Founded by Anthony in 1996, the Center for Ethics and Public Service is an interdisciplinary clinical program devoted to teaching and promoting the values of ethical judgment, professional responsibility, and public service in law and society.
Steven Berger writes: "Life is great here in Somers, Conn. Our three children are growing up quickly with our twin sons, Alex and Matthew, already high school sophomores and our daughter, Jillian, completing fourth grade. My ophthalmology practice is very busy in Springfield, Mass., and I very much enjoy my professional life. Hope all is well with my fellow classmates!"
Amy Lowrie Taivalkoski writes: "In my mid-forties I finally have the career I want. As a renewable energy consultant, I travel all over Wisconsin (in my new Prius) talking to farmers, business people, and homeowners about wind and solar systems. Every day is different, and I meet some great folks. Setting my own work schedule lets me spend time with Jarrett, 15, and Kendall, 12, and of course, my husband, Paul."
From the July / August 2007 Issue
Glenn Kessler, diplomatic correspondent for the Washington Post, reports that his book The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy, will be published Sept. 4 by St. Martins Press. “The book is the first detailed examination of Rice’s skills as politician, decision-maker, and manager, drawing on scores of interviews with U.S. officials and foreign diplomats as well as my extensive travel with her overseas.” Glenn has covered U.S. foreign policy for the Post for five years; this is his first book. He lives with his wife, Cindy Rich, and their three children in McLean, Va.
Tom Stoehr (see James H. Stoehr ’51).
Alaric H. Tate writes: “I am presently working for the new company Alcatel-Lucent in the high-speed electronics for optoelectronics and wireless systems department at Bell Labs. I am also pursuing a PhD in materials engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.”
From the May / June 2007 Issue
Kim Borman (see Dana Ross ’99).
Alice Wheelright (see Geneva Whitney Courtright ’56).
From the March / April 2007 Issue
Ellen Powers Le writes: “After thirteen years of managing investment portfolios for wealthy investors and nonprofit institutions, I have started my own investment advisory firm, which is called Ascend Capital Management, Inc. I build and manage customized portfolios of stocks, bonds, ETFs, and mutual funds for individuals. Check out my web page at www.ascendcapmgt.com.”
David Torrence writes: “Coming back for our class’s 25th reunion must have moved some karmic force into the right direction. In late July, I was offered a position as assistant principal of Greenville High School in Greenville, Ohio. So now I’m out of the classroom and working to help lead students and teachers toward finding personal success. I’m becoming acquainted with the difficulties of dealing with ‘challenging kids,’ of financial management, and of shaping a curriculum. Oddly enough, I love it. Wendy and I are still not really ‘settled.’ She is living in two places–in our Union, Ohio, home on the northwest edge of Dayton, and four hours away in Kent, where she is completing her MA in library and information services. But now that she has her degree, we’re both looking forward to finding fun things to do in Dayton and learning to enjoy evenings without grading.”
From the January / February 2007 Issue
Nancy Abramson has been named executive director of the Wall Street Journal Radio Network. She is responsible for radio news, affiliate relations, and administration for the network’s Wall Street Journal Report, Dow Jones Money Report, and Barron’s on Investments. She has served as director of affiliate relations for the Journal’s radio network for the past seven years. “Her career in radio started at Brown’s WBRU, where she was program director,” says her father, Paul Abramson ’49.
Ralph Bernardo is a lawyer in Mary land. He is the founder and owner of Cosmopolitan Real Estate Settlements, Inc., with three offices in Maryland. He is married with three children. In his spare time he attends his children’s sporting events.
Dr. Waldo P. Bracy Jr. writes: “I’m proud to announce the arrival of our boys Devin (Aug. 31, 2006) and Noah (Nov. 26, 2004). My wife, Laurie, and I are thrilled. I am currently in private practice at Arlington Gastroenterology Associates in Texas after a few years in academic medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.”
Bruce Katz, urban policy expert and founder of the Metropolitan Policy Pro gram at the Brookings Institution, was recognized with a $250,000 Heinz Award for his achievement in public policy.
Dr. Steven J. Levin was awarded the nation’s Family Physician of the Year for 2007 award in Washington, D.C., in September. He is the sole full-time medical practitioner at St. John’s Health Center in New Brunswick, N.J., which provides primary medical care to 3,000 uninsured patients.
Frank Mello (see Jim Mello ’58).
Arlie Nogay writes: “After twenty years as a corporate lawyer at Reed Smith, I have joined the legal department of Mellon Financial Corp. in Pittsburgh as assistant general counsel, working primarily on securities matters, SEC filings and financings, as well as M&A transactions and corporate governance. I worked with Mellon on a number of significant transactions during my career at Reed Smith, and I am looking forward to my new role as an in-house lawyer. My wife, Mary Hackett, and I took our sons, Walter, 14 and Robert, 12, to Providence for our 25th reunion in May, and we had a memorable weekend, highlighted (for me) by walking through the Gates and down the Hill with Walter wearing my old Brown sweatshirt and Robert in my faded jean jacket. Thanks to John Wiecha and Jean Leibowitz Wiecha ’82 for hosting a BBQ at their house on Saturday, attended by classmates Jessie Goldfarb, Robert LoGreco, Jeanie Taylor, Jim Walsh, and Susan White Sard. Nice to see Scott McCarthy in from the U.K., and so many other friends. See you in 2011.”
Julie Rothhouse writes: “I was sorry to have missed our 25th reunion. I was eight months pregnant at the time and couldn’t get to Providence. Our daughter, Lindsay Byron Baker, was born on June 25. I am enjoying motherhood very much. I am back at work at Freddie Mac and happily juggling motherhood and my career.”
David Tausik writes: “My wife, April, and I adopted 3-year-old Mia Tausik from the Tam Binh orphanage in Saigon. She and our 6-year-old boy, Nathan, are bridging the language barrier with ease and having a great time.”
Basil Williams writes: “It was great seeing many of you during our 25th. I want to personally thank the entire class for the support of our record-making gift to Brown. It was a privilege to work with you.”
From the September / October 2006 Issue
Seth Berkley ’78 (see Shanay Jhaveri ’07).
Shelley Knight writes: “So sorry to have missed our 25th reunion. I had ordered my tickets and had collected some funny pictures from freshman year, but although the spirit was willing, the body was not. My multiple sclerosis was acting up. I’ve been in touch with a few old Brown friends in the last few months but would love to hear from those I missed at reunion as well as fellow alums living with MS.”
From the May / June 2006 Issue
Reunion ’06 weekend is almost here—May 26– 28. Return to campus to renew ties with old friends. Start with Campus Dance and finish the weekend by passing once again through the Van Wickle Gates. Visit the reunion Web site for complete details: http://alumni. brown.edu/news_events/reunions.
Marie Achtemeier Finch writes: “I have not made partner, closed a multimillion-dollar deal, won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize, or lived overseas. Sigh! Instead, I’ve devoted myself to volunteer work at church, at my kids’ school, and in the community—and I even drive a minivan. ‘Ivy League Housewives’—a new series, maybe? Hooray for the joy and blessings of everyday life!”
Kathleen Palombo King is a professor of adult education and directs Fordham Univ.’s Regional Educational Technology Center (RETC). She, along with another colleague, began a weekly podcast in August 2005 titled Podcast for Teachers, a Web-based broadcast format containing resources and lively interviews. Podcast was honored with the 2005 Innovation Award for educational leadership. Contact Kathy if you are in the technical or educational fields and would like to be considered for an interview on the podcast or to partner with the RETC.
John B. Leeming II writes: “We are enjoying paradise and all is great on Siesta Key in Sarasota, Fla. Laura and I will be celebrating our twentieth anniversary this year, our boys will be 18, 16, and 13, and it is nonstop around the house. I realized a dream of having an office on Main Street while working at an investment advisory firm and became a CFP professional. I’m on the advisory board of the local chapter of Make-A-Wish, am an assistant scoutmaster, and am serving my second term on the St. Boniface vestry as senior warden. We are two hours from Orlando, and one of the top ten beaches in the world is a mile away. Let us know if you are coming to the area. Looking forward to the reunion.”
From the November / December 2004 Issue
Judith Gracey has been sworn in as president of the Oakland County Bar Association. Gracey is the fourth woman and the first African American woman to be president of the seventy-year-old association.
Jill Schreiber Kleinman and Loren Kleinman ’80 have completed their first summer as owners/directors of Camp Taconic in Hinsdale, Mass. Taconic is a camp for boys and girls ages 7–16, offering a wide range of activities on scenic Lake Ashmere. They write: “Camp ownership is a dream come true for us. Seeing the smiling faces on the children makes all the hard work worthwhile.” There are still openings for campers and counselors for the summer of 2005.
From the September / October 2004 Issue
Carol Gilbert has been named vice president for programs and marketing at American Public Univ. System, a distance-learning institution.
Judith Gracey has been named president of the Oakland County Bar Association.
Barbara Siegel and Jennifer Kapuscik, after fourteen years together, were married on May 21, in Cambridge, Mass. They live in Cambridge with their dogs Max and Jake. Barbara is a senior staff attorney with the Disability Law Center in Boston.
From the July / August 2004 Issue
Kevin Callahan writes: “My wife, Susan (Stanford ’88), and I are pleased to announce the March 9 arrival of Tyler Vassar Callahan. He joins big brother Michael, 2 1/2, as the joys of our lives. All of my classmates who got an earlier start on having children can now chuckle in not-so-fond recollection of the sleepless nights we now endure. In other less important matters, I continue to represent the injured as a trial attorney with the law firm of Thon, Beck & Vanni in Pasadena, Calif. I’d love to hear from any old friends and classmates.”
Neil Freedman (see Sarah Livson Levy ’98).
Elizabeth Brisbin Mullard has launched a new business with her sister-in-law producing a yoga satchel and strap called MY BAG™ by Mullard Young Designs. Elizabeth writes, “I invite my fellow alumni to check out our Web site: www.myyogabag.com. I am passionate about yoga and love the new challenge, which works in well with my full-time job parenting two daughters, Ellee and Maggie, with my husband, Tom, in Boxford, Mass.”
Pedro Noguera ’84 AM has joined the faculty of the School of Education at NYU. He will head a center that will support outreach to and research on urban schools.
Laurin Watkins Wittig writes: “We’re enjoying our fifth year in Williamsburg, Va., despite Hurricane Isabel dropping three large trees on our house in September. My kids are both following in my footsteps as enthusiastic band members—Samantha in the high school band and Alex in the fifth-grade band. They are both much better musicians than I ever was. I’m pleased to be a full-time writer these days, working while the kids are in school. My second novel, Charming the Shrew, a historical romance set in medieval Scotland, was released in May 2004 and the sequel, whose working title is Tempting Morainn, will be out in May 2005. I’ve got excerpts on my Web site: www.wittig.com/Laurin, and I’d love to hear what old friends are up to these days.”
From the May / June 2004 Issue
Roger Amato writes: “We continue to enjoy living in Vermont in our drafty old farmhouse. Our two sons, Peter, 15, and Philip, 13, could never imagine growing up anywhere else. I keep up with Anthony Mancini, who keeps trying to convince me to join him for a 1,000-mile snowmobile trek. So far I’ve been able to withstand the pressure.”
Richard Gamache has been named a partner in the Boston-based intellectual property law firm of Weingarten, Schurgin, Gagnebin & Lebovici.
Lee Hockstader was named to the editorial board of the Washington Post in January. Since 2002, he had been based in Texas as a national correspondent for the newspaper . Previously, he was a foreign correspondent for the Post in Latin America, Russia, Europe, and the Middle East. He returned to Washington, D.C., in the spring with his wife, Flore de Préneuf, and their two children, Theo, 3, and Alice, 1.
Carrie Noland is still living in California with her husband, Chris, and children, Francesca, 6, and Julian, 13. She writes: “I feel very out of touch with good friends from Brown (Rob, Saul, Lisa, Michelle, Mary, David, John, Laura ...) and would love to hear from all of you.”
From the March / April 2004 Issue
Keith A. Behnke and Vicki Arbitrio announce the May 31 birth of daughter Maren Arbitrio Behnke. Keith writes: “We live, work, and play in New York City.” Vicki is an associate at the structural engineering firm of Gilsanz Murray Steficek. Keith is a vice president at F.J. Sciame Construction Co.
Jeff Hacker and Karen Prince announce the Nov. 18 birth of Maya Rachel Hacker. They live in Brookline, Mass.
From the January / February 2004 Issue
Gena Cohen Moses writes that she is living in New Hampshire, “retired” from practicing law, and looking forward to another New Hampshire presidential primary season.
Melanie Northrop writes: “I am happily living in Wellesley, Mass., with my three daughters, Rachel, Sarah, and Rebecca Forman. A few years ago I received my third (and final) graduate degree, this one a master’s in social work from Boston University. I am a clinician at Harvard University Health Services, where I am very lucky to have had a two-year fellowship. Despite my always-on-the-go life as a single mom, I feel very blessed and enriched by my children, work, and friends!”
From the November / December 2003 Issue
Carolyn R. Adler, of Belmont, Calif., has been named vice president for intellectual property and legal affairs at Raven Biotechnologies. She previously worked as vice president for intellectual property at COR Therapeutics and as a patent attorney at Genentech.
Richard Harriman writes: “Last August, I moved to Greece with my wife, Heidi, and our children, Margaret, 10, and Griffin, 7. We are teaching English, traveling, and soaking up the culture.”
From the May / June 2003 Issue
Jack Fitzpatrick ’85 M.D. (see Susan Hsia ’97).
Sudhana Napombejra (see Wanni Wibulswasdi Anderson ’62 A.M.).
Michael A. Rossi ’84 M.D. was appointed both chief of the division of cardiology and medical director of the Regional Heart Center of Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network.
From the March / April 2003 Issue
John M. Wiecha has been awarded this year’s eHealth Developers’ Summit Award for Application Excellence—Best Online Continuing Medical Education Course (CME). The award recognizes the best-accredited online CME course. John directs predoctoral education in the department of family medicine at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM).
From the November / December 2002 Issue
Marlene DeMaio was promoted by the U.S. Navy to the rank of captain. She is chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Sports Medicine, and Podiatry and serves as the head team physician at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
Michelle Dunham Guerra writes: "After years of practicing union-side labor law in New York City, I am doing the 'mom' thing at home in Guilford, Conn. My husband, Cesar, works as a research scientist for a small biotech company in New Haven. We have two sons: Elias, 8, and Daniel, 5."
John B. Leeming II (see John B. Leeming '50).
Craig T. Jones, of Atlanta, wrote in July that he had the honor of arguing a case in April before the U.S. Supreme Court, which resulted in a favorable 6-3 ruling. The decision, Hope v. Pelzer, makes it easier for citizens to sue government officials who violate constitutional rights. Craig and his wife, Sharon Foster Jones, have two sons, Grady, 4, and Tate, 2, and were expecting their third son in August.
From the September / October 2002 Issue
Anne Greeley writes: "I have become active in the attempt to pass legislation in California that would allow adult adoptees like me to access information about their origins. Currently, adopted persons cannot obtain their original birth certificates or adoption files in all but five states. If you are interested in this issue, please feel free to contact me."
Glenn Kessler, of McLean, Va., writes that he has begun covering foreign policy and diplomacy for the Washington Post. He writes: "After nearly twenty years of covering Wall Street, airline safety, the White House, and, most recently, economic policy, it is great to be back to my first journalistic love - foreign policy. But the world has changed since I studied the Soviet Union in graduate school. Any alumni in the foreign-policy community who want to offer tips, insights, or critiques of my coverage can contact me."
Isaac Kohane (see Atul Butte '91).
From the May / June 2002 Issue
Scott Berry, of Darien, Conn., writes: "My wife, Tracey, and I are pleased to announce the birth of Maxwell Jennings Berry, who arrived just in time for Christmas. Max joins 18-month-old Samantha. I also just recently joined BlazePhotonics, a U.K.-based optical components firm, as chief marketing officer."
Carolyn J. Kozuch writes: "After many years practicing law in Los Angeles, I have returned to Brown to work in development. Since my family is settled in Rhode Island now, I am quite happy here. My nephew Kevin played for the Lincoln, R.I., Little League in Williamsport last August, which was a thrill for all of us."
Adrienne Oleck and David Anderson, of Potomac, Md., announce the Nov. 6 birth of their daughter, Eden Oleck Anderson. Eden joins big brother Simon, 10.
Michael Rossi '84 M.D. writes: "Barbara and I continue to live in Allentown, Pa., with our four children. I am a cardiologist and president of the Heart Care Group, a thirty-physician group practice at Lehigh Valley Hospital."
Saul Shapiro '81 (see Jessica Kowal '89).
From the November / December 2000 Issue
Suzanne Burns ’85 M.D. was appointed to the board of the Providence Center, a nonprofit that provides counseling and psychiatric services. Suzanne practices internal medicine at Coastal Medical in Bristol, R.I. She is affiliated with Rhode Island, Roger Williams, and Miriam hospitals.
From the September / October 2000 Issue
Eric Golin ’91 Ph.D. and Marion Abrams Golin (see Sanford Golin ’51).
Andrew Munts writes: "Once again I have leaped from the corporate ladder to see what miraculous force will catch me. In 1991 it was marriage to Laura and a two-year trip around the world. Now it is the launch of True North Consulting, which specializes in leadership and organizational effectiveness. My kids, Maggie, 6, and Matthew, 4, inspire this adventure with creativity (slipping lots of crayon pictures under my office door) and courage (playing acrobatic circus together each night). "
Timothy A. Nolan, a social-studies teacher and department leader at Raymond Grey Junior High School, received a "global educator of the year" award from the Massachusetts Global Education Consortium. The award is presented annually to six Massachusetts teachers.
Jessica Stulman Sheinman (see Elga Kron Stulman ’54).
From the July / August 2000 Issue
Elizabeth Burlingame writes: "I’ve gone back to school after eighteen years for a master’s in international management from Thunderbird in Arizona. It’s a ton of fun."
Viki Kaprielian and Jonathon Luis announce the birth of Joseph Kapriel Luis on June 27, 1999. Viki writes that after enjoying a wonderful maternity leave, she is back to work as an associate clinical professor of family medicine at Duke, beginning the long motherhood/ job balancing act.
From the May / June 2000 Issue
Angelica Anaya Allen writes that she litigated one of two cases discussed in Solomon’s Sword: Two Families and the Children the State Took Away (Random House 1999) by Michael Shapiro. Both cases involve foster care and adoption. The return of Baby Girl B to her mother, who was represented by Angelica throughout the two-year court battle, was covered extensively in the Connecticut news. Angelica, director of litigation at the Legal Aid Society of Albuquerque, N.Mex., lives in Albuquerque with Genevieve, 10; Patrick, 8; and Irene, 4.
Basil C. Bitas became a partner in the law firm Shook, Hardy & Bacon on Jan. 1. Basil, who joined the firm in 1997, works in the division of national products liability litigation, where he focuses on products-liability defense litigation and international business transactions. He has worked in Western and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He was previously in-house legal counsel for the Philip Morris group in Lausanne, Switzerland.
John Borzilleri, Karen Emmett Coleman, Patricia Godoy, and Ross Goldstein (see Sarah Boyce Lum Borzilleri ’87).
Terrence B. Jones writes: "At age 40 I am in my second semester at M.I.T.’s Sloan School of Management. I am an M.B.A. candidate for 2001, concentrating in e-commerce and marketing. In 1997 I left Skycom Courier Systems, the company I founded in 1985 and managed for twelve years. After a brief stint with United Parcel Service, I enrolled at M.I.T. in September. My wife, Linda (Bowdoin ’84, Boston University Medical ’90), and I live in Reading, Mass., with our three children, Baxter, 9; Amanda, 7; and Troy, 5, as well as with a superb nanny, Betsy."
Jennifer Just writes: "It must be a millennial thing, or a midlife thing, for I feel a need to tell my old buddies what I’ve been up to these last two decades. In the 1980s I worked at the Writer Magazine in Boston; moved to Northampton, Mass.; became a public-television producer. Then my grandmother died and my perennially messy personal life was resolved by marrying The Right Guy. In the 1990s I became an independent television producer; my stepfather died; I gave birth to Boy One, then to Boy Two; my husband and Boy Two were tested for MS and cystic fibrosis on the same day (it turns out to be MS and asthma); my beloved dog, Chloe, died; we moved to Connecticut; I quit work to be a soccer mom (is it the water?); the boys hated soccer, but liked reptiles; we bought a snake; I went through severe workaholic withdrawal; we got a new dog (still miss Chloe); I earned the nickname ‘Bwana Opinion’ writing a column for a local paper; and I wrote novels. Now in the 2000s, I wonder how my old friends are. I think of so many so fondly. And the rest has yet to be writ..."
Angelo Lobosco, Charlie Meister, Chuck McCoy, and Nancy Bowdring Mino (see Sarah Boyce Lum Borzilleri ’87).
Marcy Planer Murray and her husband, William, announce the birth of Samuel David on Nov. 29. He joins big brother Joshua, 7. Marcy, a lawyer and real-estate agent, lives in Hammond, La., about sixty miles from New Orleans.
Tina Neal and Laura Coughlin ’88 write: "In one of those wonderful little life surprises, we discovered our common collegiate past while working at the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance in Washington, D.C. The office is part of the U.S. Agency for International Development. Laura is an information officer focusing on Africa’s west, Sahel, and northern regions. She is part of a Washington, D.C.-based regional team that monitors humanitarian crises, funds relief efforts in the wake of natural and human-caused disasters, and tries to reduce vulnerabilities. Tina is the geoscience adviser, which is a temporary assignment and break from her real life as a volcanologist for the U.S. Geological Survey in Anchorage. In addition to sharing day jobs, we’re also big fans and former students of religious studies professor Giles Milhaven."
Mac Reed (see Sarah Boyce Lum Borzilleri ’87).
Maxanne Resnick writes that she married Brian Powers in October 1996, supported by a cast of Brunonians. She adds: "In November we had twins, Rachel and Matthew. In November 1998, I started a women’s accessories company, a.v.max, having left the land of real-estate redevelopment. We are selling to more than 100 stores nationwide and trying to build a profitable small business (sigh!)."
Regis Shields, Mary Kondon Toth, Ted Tracy, and Don Wilcoxon (see Sarah Boyce Lum Borzilleri ’87).
From the March / April 2000 Issue
Paul Ciasullo writes: “Each fall a group of us from Delta Phi goes away to play golf. This group includes Pete Nelson (at whose house we camp), John Nelson, Eric Birnbaum, Lloyd Bunting, and me, along with our wives (except for John, the habitual bachelor). We debate that this year makes fifteen straight. Marie and I have been in Connecticut since 1992 with our three children, Alyssa, Paul, and Steven. I am currently recovering from a state of shock after realizing that my little girl just turned 13 and will be in high school next year.”
Kenneth D. Freundlich writes that he has moved to southern California with his wife, Teresa, and their son, Alexander, 2. Kenneth is executive vice president for label operations at Atomic Pop, an Internet-based music-marketing and distribution company in Santa Monica. Kenneth was previously in private practice in New York City, representing music and motion-picture clients including Paul Simon, Spacehog, Joan Osborne, the Spin Doctors, and the producers of the 1997 Academy Awardwinning movie When We Were Kings. Teresa is an artist who has shown her work in New York City.
Bob Samors writes that he was named associate vice president of federal relations for the sixteen-campus University of North Carolina system. He has opened the university’s first Washington, D.C., office and continues to live in Silver Spring, Md., with his wife, Ann Tutwiler (Davidson ’80), and sons Joshua, 10, and Noah, 6.
Susan Steinberg-Oren writes that she co-edited Jewish Mothers (Haworth Press), a collection of personal essays written by Jewish mothers to be released this spring. Susan lives in Palos Verdes, Calif., with her husband, Kaya Oren; their son, Geffen, 8; and their daughter, Lena, 6. Susan is a clinical psychologist in private practice and a teacher at the V.A. Outpatient Clinic in downtown Los Angeles. S
Cathryn “Carrie” Swanson married William George Donald Fleming on Nov. 27 in London. Carrie is managing director in London for AcuPoll Europe, a market-research company. Donald is an investment banker at Cazenove & Co.
Mark Van Noppen writes that he and his wife, Julie Ikai Van Noppen ’82, live in Providence with their three children, Nell, 9; William, 8; and Peter, 6, in a Victorian house that they renovated in 1982 with Tyler Roberts ’82, Jon Haberman ’80, Hal Hirshon ’80 M.A.T., and others. Mark’s real-estate development and construction business, The Armory Revival Co., was listed 14th in Inc. magazine’s “Inner City 100,” a list of the country’s fastest-growing inner-city businesses. Julie continues her private practice as a muscular therapist and heads up a happy, busy household. “We can hardly believe we are still in Rhode Island, much less at 80 Dexter Street,” Mark writes. Tyler has three children, including a set of new twins. He lives and teaches at Grinnell University in Iowa. Jon, who has two children, is a cabinetmaker in Washington, D.C. Hal is a teacher and musician in Boston.
Matthew von der Ahe writes: “I live with my three kids, Lilian, 16; Oliver, 14; and Isabel, 9, in Bainbridge Island, a suburb of Seattle. My business, River Rock Environmental, is going strong. I manage to ski and kayak a little.”
From the January / February 2000 Issue
Mark Aikins writes: "Sigma Chi members Chris Bohrson, Jack Dorer, Dave Stevens, Werner Zurcher, Steve Billings, Dan Merriman, Tony Randazzo, Phil Wey '82, and I met with families and friends (including fifteen children, ages 2-10) in Newport, R.I., July 23-25. The weekend included a New England clambake at Branton Point State Park on Saturday night."
From the November / December 1999 Issue
Mary Chapin Carpenter (see Jennifer Lewis Yamron '90).
Nancy Abramson Hertz (see Paul C. Abramson '49).
Alice Wheelwright (see Gretchen Gross Wheelwright '56).
From the September / October 1999 Issue
Jeff Hacker, Brookline, Mass., married Karen Prince (Hawes, England) on April 20 in Key Biscayne, Fla. Several Brown alums attended the wedding and the post-wedding party in Boston. Jeff and Karen honeymooned in Tanzania.
Tom Jacobs and his wife, Caryn, have a beautiful baby girl, Emma Abigail, born May 17. Tom writes: "Unlike her perpetually late parents, Emma arrived five weeks early and spent a dozen days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She is now healthy and vibrant, and is busy teaching her parents the virtues of patience, perseverance, and sleeplessness. In between diaper changes, I am multimedia producer at InterVision, a video and interactive media company in Eugene, Ore. Still recovering from a decade in the advertising-agency business, I am delighted to be working on projects that actually help people. We produce programs for health-care intervention, behavior modification, and education curriculum, as well as corporate sales, marketing, and training for clients such as Mindscape, Hewlett-Packard, and Rand McNally."
Glenn Kessler, formerly White House correspondent for Newsday, has joined the Washington Post as national business editor.
Charlie Meister has been named C.E.O. of SoundStorm Inc., the Academy Award-winning sound-effects editing company in Burbank, Calif. SoundStorm concentrates on the art of "audio storytelling" for feature films. Charlie writes: "I am thrilled about joining such a prestigious group of creative individuals. I am looking forward to leading SoundStorm into the 21st century of filmmaking through the creative application of technology to this art." Charlie lives in Pacific Palisades, Calif., with his wife, Lawry (Wellesley College '83), and their two sons, Barrett, 7, and Evan, 5.
From the July / August 1999 Issue
Carrie McCully Brown's novel, Rose's Garden (Algonquin Books), won the 1998 Barnes & Noble Discover Award for best first novel of the year. The book was released in paperback in April, the same month as the publication of her second novel, Lamb in Love (Algonquin Books). Carrie lives in Sweet Briar, Va.
Afua Hassan (a.k.a. Shelley Hare) and her husband, Veon McReynolds, announce the opening of her clinic, The Birthing Place in Houston. Afua provides prenatal care for her clients, who will deliver with her at their homes. Afua and Veon have four children, Chinue, 11; Maya, 8; Atiba, 3; and Obioma, 2, all born at home.
Eric Lane, New York City, won the Berrilla Kerr Playwriting Award, a Puffin Grant, a Pilgrim Project Grant, and the Jonathan Larson Foundation Residency for his play Times of War, which premiered in June at the Adirondack Theatre Festival in Glens Falls, N.Y. Eric was also named an O'Neill Center Finalist for the play.
From the May / June 1999 Issue
Elizabeth Schiff Kaufman, New York City, writes: "After twenty-four years, shoulder surery has finally forced me to give up playing competitive volleyball. I had been playing USVBA and doubles beach-volleyball tournaments ever since my Brown volleyball days. I finally received my master's in elementary education from Bank Street College of Education, and my husband opened his own law firm, Kaufman, Borgeest & Ryan. My children, Jacob and Brian, 8, and Kara, 6, are doing wonderfully and are joys to be with. I'm keeping busy with teaching and chairing the benefit auction at Jacob's school."
Rebecca Lipkin has been in Washington, D.C., as a producer for ABC's World News Tonight with Peter Jennings since 1992. She writes: "I am taking a half-year leave of absence to pursue a fellowship in journalismfrom the Knight International Press Fellowship program. I have been assigned to Central and Eastern Europe and I will be training journalists from formerly state-run television stations. My first assignment is in the Czech Republic, my last in Hungary, with Romania and Slovakia in between."
Vicky Parker and Greg Estey announce the arrival of George Robert Estey on Aug. 28. Among those at his home birth were big sisters Eileen, 8, and Elizabeth, 6.
Amy Cohen Rowland moved from Puerto Rico to Vienna, Austria, in 1998 with her husband and daughters, Lainie, 4, and Helene and Audrey, 2. Amy continues consulting, writing, and now learning German.
From the March / April 1999 Issue
Janice Kando and her partner of fourteen years, Sonia Bettez, have opened a bed-and-breakfast in the Albuquerque area. Janice continues to work as a family physician while Sonia runs the business.
Jocelyn Noveck writes: "For the last two years I have been in lovely Paris, where I am news editor of the Associated Press, covering France and North Africa. It's been a good couple of years for news here: a World Cup victory, a war crimes trial, more scandals and strikes and quirky only-in-France stories than one could want, and of course the fateful ride of a certain princess into a traffic tunnel by the Seine."
Michael A. Rossi '84 M.D., his wife, Barbara, and their four children are still happily living in the Lehigh Valley, Pa. He is president and managing partner of the Heart Care Group, a twenty-seven-physician cardiology group practice in Allentown, Pa.
From the January / February 1999 Issue
Denise Benkel completed two years as an epidemic intelligence service officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and is currently a preventive medicine resident with the New York State Department of Health/University of Albany School of Public Health.
Mary Kay Ellis and Mitchell L. Metz, Oconomowoc, Wis., are suddenly outnumbered. Twins Fletcher and Ellie joined big sister Emma, 4, on July 23. Beth Ryan Kundert and family traveled to Wisconsin for the twins' baptism. Mary Kay continues to practice ophthalmology, and Mitch writes in his largely hypothetical free time.
Eve Minkoff, Newton, Mass., writes: "Last year my 12-year-old daughter, Lily, and I left Manhattan and moved back home to Newton. I'm a freelance editor again, and we both love being here. Now Lily baby-sits for Ray Madoff's '80 three children, Gabe, Jesse, and Amelia.
Virginia Pollack, Agoura Hills, Calif., writes: "I finished my fifth and final summer on the road with my kids. I've driven 2,000 to 11,000 miles each summer - from Georgia to Maine to Alaska. But my daughter's high school schedule has clipped my wings. How can I be old enough to have a child in high school?"
Julie S. Rothhouse married Rob Baker (University of Wisconsin '81) on May 31, 1997. Julie writes: "In the fall of '97 I returned to Young & Rubicon after an eight-year absence. I am now account director on the Citibank account."
Tracy Salvage is a visiting professor and artist-in-residence at Adelphi University, Garden City, N.Y., for the 1998-99 academic year. She exhibited her work at the Manhattan Center Gallery, New York City, from September to November.
From the November / December 1998 Issue
Louise Benjamin Malek and her husband, Jean-Michel, announce the births of twin sons, Saul Benjamin and Gabriel Brendan, on Jan. 3 in Houston. Louise also reports a wonderful visit with Jon Drill '80 during his recent business trip to Houston.
Daniel Pick, San Diego, and his wife, Catherine, announce the birth of Nathaniel Stephen on June 18. Daniel is an adjunct math professor at several San Diego community colleges, and Catherine is an A.T.A.-accredited translator of German and English into French.
Julie Rothhouse married Rob Baker (Univ. of Wisonsin '81) on May 31, 1997. In the fall of 1997, Julie returned to Young and Rubicam in New York City after an eight-year absence. She is now the director on the Citibank account.
From the September / October 1998 Issue
Steve Lincoln (see Larry Lincoln '50).
Joe McVeigh writes: "After seventeen years on the West Coast, I've left Los Angeles and the University of Southern California to move back to New England. I'm now at Middlebury College, launching an ESL program. I've recently completed a three-year term on the board of directors of Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), and I am still singing and active in the Episcopal Church. I'd love to hear from old friends, especially from BCF and the Chorus."
Stephen L. Sepinuck writes: "In May 1997, I received tenure at Gonzaga University School of Law, was promoted to associate dean for academic affairs, and got married to a New Englander who, like myself, relocated to the Pacific Northwest. All in all, it was a great month. Classmates in Spokane are urged to look me up."
From the July / August 1998 Issue
Tom Apple and his wife, Linda, had a baby girl in November 1997. Tom writes: "Sara Rose is loved by all, especially her brothers, Andy, 6, and Sam, 4. I am enjoying work as corporate counsel at ITOCHU International, a large traditional Japanese trading company in New York." T
Ken Giddon owns Henry Rothman's, a men's clothing store in New York City. Ken left his business for six months and joined Maxanne Resnick, David Hirsch '82, and Paul Donahue '83 in founding New York Cares, a volunteer service organization that now has 75,000 members.
Joanne Trambukis Laferriere, East Walpole, Mass., announces the birth of Alexander Philip on July 3, 1996. He joined Nicholas, 4.
Jeff Parry (see William H. Parry '43).
Ivan Robbins (see Nancy Schuleen Helle '55).
Tracy Salvage, Voorheesville, N.Y., has been included in Who's Who Among America's Teachers, 1998. She is an adjunct professor of art at Schenectady County (N.Y.) Community College, where she teaches courses in art appreciation and studio art. A painter who has exhibited for ten years and received various awards and honors, she has taught adult art workshops at the Albany Institute of History and Art and the Schenectady Museum, in addition to lecturing on art.
Lauren Wolk published her first novel, Those Who Favor Fire (Random House). Lauren was a senior editor for Nelson Canada and later a contributing editor for Owl magazine, an award-winning children's publisher. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two children.
From the May / June 1998 Issue
Valorie Avedisian writes: "This was a year of changes. I've moved back `home' after twelve years in California.I'm working as an internal training consultant with Oracle Corp. in Wal-tham, Mass. I'm hoping to get back in touch with old friends. Belinda, Robert, Debbie,Kris, and the rest of the class of '81, where are you?"
Carrie Brown published Rose's Garden (Algonquin Books), a novel.
Joshua Hauser (see Susan Motamed '89).
Steve Lincoln and Tracy Davis (Northwestern '93) were married in San Francisco on Aug. 30. In attendance were Steve's brother, Robert '83, and their dad, Larry '50. Steve and Tracy live in San Francisco, where they both practice law.
Robbin Newman was named a partner in the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., law office of Holland & Knight. She practices in the areas of real estate development and finance, and represents commercial mortgage lenders, financial institutions, and borrowers.
From the March / April 1998 Issue
Nancy Schott Benjamin and Roy Benjamin '81 announce the birth of Emily Eleanor on Dec. 6, 1996. She joins Nicole, 10, Michelle, 7, and Jimmy, 5.
Greg Costikyan designed Evolution: The Game of Intelligent Life, a CD-ROM game to be published by Discovery Channel Multimedia and released through Interplay Productions. This is Greg's twenty-fifth commercially published game. More about the game can be found at http://evolution.discovery.com.
Kurt W. Fleischer is looking for his traveling partner from the Mardi Gras trip. He finished his Ph.D. at Caltech and now lives by the Golden Gate Bridge.
Allen Oser and his wife, Rachel Fineberg Oser (Dartmouth '86), announce the birth of Gabrielle Joyce on Aug. 4. She joins big brother Alexander Samuel, 21/2. "Alex can point and click but has managed to corrupt the system file only once so far," Allen writes. Allen is a neuroradiologist in private practice in Birmingham, Ala. Rachel is an interventional radiologist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Obituaries
Stephen Presser ’81, of Red Hook, N.Y.; Mar. 26, of pancreatic cancer. He earned a law degree in 1984 from Harvard University. He joined Cohen, Weiss & Simon, LLP in 1987 and spent 11 years representing unions, with a particular focus on the North American airline and steel industries. In 1997, he joined KPS Special Situations Fund to advise on airline and other industry restructuring. There, and later at his own firm, Athena Advisory Group LLC, he represented the Airline Pilots Association and the broader airline labor force. He and his team developed a new financing strategy to compensate unionized pilots and other employees when airlines filed for bankruptcy. For the past 18 years, he worked as a founding partner at Monomoy Capital Partners, a market private equity firm specializing in manufacturing and consumer businesses.He is survived by his wife, Diane;
a daughter; son Michael ’14; his mother; a sister; and a brother.
Robert P. Kindler ’81, of Harrisburg, Pa.; Sept. 9, after a brief illness. The Kindler family started several successful businesses, including the West Shore Health Club in 1968 and a restaurant in 1979. Upon graduating from Brown, he became the general manager of his family’s restaurant and banquet facility, the Jolly Bull, for 10 years. Following that, he partnered with his brother to manage the family’s health club, West Shore Health Club, and they subsequently opened several independent fitness centers that eventually were converted to Planet Fitness franchises. He enjoyed playing golf and watching TV, especially sports, and was an avid New York Yankees and Las Vegas Raiders fan. He is survived by his wife, Ann; seven children and their spouses; three grandchildren; two brothers; and a sister-in-law.
David B. Stoneback ’81, of Durango, Colo.; Oct. 3. He was the cofounder of Resort Technology Partners in Vail, Colo. He enjoyed brewing beer, building guitars, completing the New York Times crosswords, and reading. He is survived by his wife, Betsy; two sons; a daughter-in-law; a grandson; and his father.
Jill A. Soffer ’81, of Carbondale, Colo.; Oct. 23, of cancer. After college she moved to Santa Monica, Calif., and built her reputation as an interior designer and LEED developer of sustainable homes. She had an unwavering commitment to nature and environmental causes. She was a major donor to the Natural Resources Defense Council and a board member of the Sierra Club Foundation and the Wilderness Workshop. She created Our Part, a nonprofit that funds initiatives to fight the climate crisis and protect democracy. She also launched Banking for Climate, a network of high-net-worth individuals who pressured their banks to stop funding and supporting the fossil fuel industry. In 2020, she financially supported land acquisitions that blocked the development of the Tar Sands Pipeline in Northern Minnesota. In 2023 she dedicated 285 acres of her own land between Spring Park Reservoir and the base of Basalt Mountain as a conservation easement, forever limiting development and protection for the wildlife habitat. She is survived by her partner, Steve Elder; her father; seven siblings; and her four dogs.
Sally E. Rudney ’81, of Takoma Park, Md.; Sept. 19, of lung cancer. She was the founding executive director of Montgomery County Community Foundation and led the foundation from 1996 to 2013. She subsequently established Philanthropy Advisory Services, helping donors to maximize the impact of their charitable giving. After Brown, she earned her MBA from the Yale School of Management. Her expansive career in philanthropy resulted in numerous awards and honors, including the inspired leadership award from the Montgomery County Community Foundation (2016), peacemaker of the year from the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County (2013), champion of education by College Tracks (2013), an honorary degree from Montgomery College (2013), an appointment as a trustee of the Montgomery College Foundation (2013-2017), and an achievement award from the National Association of Counties for creating and sustaining the Neighborhood Safety Net Initiative (2010). After settling in Takoma Park in 1994, she became a neighborhood leader, organizer, and community builder. She enjoyed time in New Hampshire at her home on Loon Pond in Hillsborough. Together with family and friends, she enjoyed kayaking, walking through the woods, and lounging on the dock. She is survived by her husband, Scott Hoekman; two children; a sister and brother-in-law; a brother and sister-in-law; five nieces and nephews; and her mother-in-law.
Mark A. Shallcross ’81, of Ewing, N.J.; Apr. 22. He worked for many years at Information Builders, a software company in New York City. Recently, he worked as a freelance photographer. He enjoyed reading science fiction and attending the New York Science Fiction Society’s annual Lunacon. He is survived by a son and a brother.
David B. Zuckerman ’81, of Seattle; Apr. 8, after a long battle with posterior cortical atrophy. After Brown, he became a recording engineer at the Splice of Life Studio in Boston. After a while, he left the recording business and attended law school. Following law school, he moved to Seattle to work for the Public Defender Association. He later clerked for Federal Judge William Dwyer before opening his own practice. He was a criminal defense lawyer who received the 2017 William O. Douglas Award, Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers’ highest honor. He volunteered his time to provide advice or to speak at continuing education events and was passionate about protecting civil liberties, devoting countless hours to the American Civil Liberties Union. Aside from work, he was a talented musician and played piano in several rock bands, including his college band, the Geeks. He was also athletic and enjoyed skiing, swimming, diving, running, and hiking. He is survived by his wife, Maureen; twin daughters Anna Zuckerman ’21 and Leah Zuckerman ’21; and a brother.
Jeffrey B. Sawyer ’81, of St. Louis Park, Minn.; Jan. 17. He earned his medical degree from SUNY Stonybrook in 1985 and completed two medical residencies, the first in family medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis and the second in psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic. He practiced for more than 30 years, specializing in addiction, mind-body medicine, and integrative health. He founded the Inspire psychiatric partial hospital program and the integrated primary care/behavioral health program at North Memorial Hospital, where he was medical director of psychiatry and integrative care. In addition to providing care at several hospitals and clinics throughout his career, he also operated a private practice. He enjoyed practical jokes, music, photography, traveling, skiing, fishing, and hunting. He is survived by his wife, Karli; three children; and two cousins.
Michael D. Kent ’81, of Ellington, Conn., formerly of Warwick, R.I.; Nov. 3. He was an education consultant for the State of Connecticut Department of Education and served as a mentor for the Big Brothers program. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie; a daughter; a son and daughter-in-law; and two grandchildren.
Afua Hare Hassan ’81, of Houston; Apr. 4, of cancer. She was a prominent midwife in Houston and founder of The Birthing Place. She was profiled in the July-August ’20 BAM article, “Birth Mama.” https://www.brownalumnimagazine.com/articles/2019-07-10/birth-mama.
Adam E. Max ’81, of New York City and Telluride, Colo., July 27, of bile duct cancer. At the time of his passing he was chairman of the board of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). He also served as president of the Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation and was a trustee of St. Ann’s Warehouse, the Bank Street College of Education, and the Telluride Foundation. In 1986, he joined the Jordan Company, a private equity firm, where he led investments in firms and mentored and fostered the next generation of leaders. A BAM patron for more than 30 years, he joined the board in 2003, becoming co-vice chair in 2008 and chairman in 2017. He was instrumental in BAM’s growth through the construction and opening of two new program spaces, BAM Fisher and BAM Strong. He is survived by his wife, Diane L. Max; three children, including Jonah ’18; and two brothers.
Autophagy, or “self-eating,” is the way cells clean and recycle themselves, keeping us healthy. Biomedical scientist Beth Levine ’81 discovered the mammalian autophagy gene beclin 1, now the most studied of such proteins. She went on to study autophagy’s role in suppressing cancer, viruses, and neurogenerative diseases. “I think what was most critical to my success was my willingness to follow my scientific intuition and curiosity and pursue questions that I thought were important,” she told the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
As part of Levine’s mission to bring together scientists from diverse countries and disciplines to link fundamental biology to human health, she created the Gordon Conference on Autophagy in Stress, Development, and Disease in 2003, which still continues. A colleague remembers her as “an amazing scientist…and a true understated supporter of female scientists.”
After earning a medical degree from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, followed by an internal medicine residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, Levine was a postdoctoral fellow in infectious diseases and virology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, rising to director of virology research at Columbia University. She was recruited to University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 2004 and eventually became director of its Center for Autophagy Research and holder of the Charles Cameron Sprague Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science. The university remembers her as “an elegant, driven, and focused researcher who demanded the best from herself and the more than 50 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers she mentored.”
Levine was a founding associate editor of Autophagy and an editorial board member of Cell, which honored her as “an exemplary role model for women in science and medicine, and a caring physician with a lifelong dedication to easing human suffering.” Elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2013, she won awards and honors including the Phyllis T. Bodel Award from Yale and the Barcroft Medal from Queen’s University in Belfast, and the American Society for Clinical Investigation’s 2014 Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award.
Levine passed away of cancer in Dallas on June 15. She is survived by her husband Milton Packer, a cardiologist and former professor and chair of the department of clinical sciences at UT Southwestern; a daughter; and a son.
Stephen J. DeBlois ’81, of Ballston Spa, N.Y., formerly of Narragansett, R.I; Feb. 25. He was vice president of DeBlois Oil Company for many years and most recently worked as a senior territory sales manager for Citgo Petroleum in the Upstate New York region. He was a family man who enjoyed coaching or spectating at his children’s sporting events, hiking through the mountains of upstate New York, white water rafting, skiing, and playing golf. At Brown he was a member of the hockey team. He is survived by his wife, Diane; his father; four children; three siblings and their spouses; and many nieces and nephews.
William E. Cunningham ’81, of Santa Monica, Calif.; Jan. 3. He was a professor of medicine and public health at UCLA. He graduated from UCSF School of Medicine in 1987 and completed his internal medicine residency training at UCLA, where he was selected into the 1991 cohort of the UCLA Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar Program and completed a master’s in public health from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health before joining the faculty in both the Schools of Medicine and Public Health. He was a leader in addressing racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities among vulnerable populations living with, or at risk of, HIV. Most recently he was working to improve HIV care for HIV+ men and transgender women released from Los Angeles County Jail. He held several titles, including director of the UCLA Clinical Translational Science Institute Summer Fellowship Program, codirector of the Investigator Development Core for the NIA-funded Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research, director of the Training Core for the NIMHD-funded Project Export, and associate director of the UCLA Robert Wood Johnson/National Clinical Scholars Program at UCLA. For 15 years he served as a reviewer for the American Journal of Public Health. In addition, he taught graduate level courses on racial disparities and health and led efforts to recruit underrepresented minority trainees to all UCLA educational programs. He was a member of several professional associations and scholarly societies, including the American Medical Association and the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care. He authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and, at the time of his death, was a principal investigator for three research grants. He is survived by his wife, Sharon; and two sons.
Christopher E. Stenberg ’81, of East Providence; Sept. 14. For many years he was the owner of New England Research Associates, a private investigation firm, and more recently, he was a freelance editor for screenplays. He enjoyed good conversation, reading, trivia, and making lists. He is survived by two daughters, a son, a son-in-law, and his brother Kurt ’83.
Francis G. Hale IV ’81, of Gulfport, Fla., formerly of Portland, Me.; Aug. 5, after a brief illness. He taught religion and chemistry and coached a state championship soccer team for several years at Bishop Cheverus High School in Portland. He also spent time teaching and coaching in Belize. He had a passion for the theater and received awards for designing sets and lighting for numerous high school and community productions in Maine, as well as in Florida. He also obtained the rank of Eagle Scout. He is survived by five siblings and their spouses, and several nieces and nephews.
Laura Cutler Aoki ’81, of Fukuoka, Japan; Sept. 29, of ovarian cancer. She moved to Japan in 1983 and taught English at the university level. She was involved with Buddhism and engrossed with Japanese culture. She enjoyed coming to the U.S. nearly every year to catch up with family and friends and eat the American food unavailable to her in Japan. She was an avid reader. She is survived by her husband, Jiro Aoki; her father John H. Cutler ’56 and stepmother; three brothers, including Jeffry Cutler ’86; and two stepsisters.
Wendy M. Stein ’81, ’83 AM, ’92 MD, of San Diego; May 20. She was a geriatrician in San Diego and licensed to practice medicine in California and Massachusetts. She specialized in hospice and palliative care and is survived by her father and numerous family members.
Laura R. Clower ’81, of Grinnell, Iowa, formerly of Boston; July 29. She worked as a speech pathologist in the Boston area for 14 years. In 1999 she moved to California and taught private piano lessons. She also played bagpipes with the Cameron Highlanders of San Diego. She was active in a Grinnell local poetry group and the Grinnell Oratorio Society. She is survived by a son; her mother; brother Robert P. Clower III ’83; a sister-in-law; and two nephews.
Robert Riger ’81, of New York City; Jan 26, of complications from the flu. A publisher and author, he began his career at Book-of-the-Month Club and left to become president of the Doubleday Book Club. In 1990 he cofounded Market Partners International (MPI), a publishing consulting firm whose clients included Amazon, Jim Henson Productions, and a number of international clients. With Kermit the Frog he coauthored One Frog Can Make a Difference: Kermit’s Guide to Life in the ’90s. Following MPI, he worked at Penguin Press and Barnes & Noble, then returned to publishing at Simon & Schuster, where he was most recently vice president and director of the Pimsleur Language Programs. At the time of his death he was working with a coauthor on Book Publishing: What Everyone Needs to Know. He was a member of the Mayflower Society and the Publishing Triangle. He enjoyed genealogy and photography. He is survived by his husband, Richard D. Piper ’76 AM; three sisters; two brothers; an aunt; two nieces; and a nephew.
Carmen Scism Slaughter ’81, of Albany, N.Y.; Sept. 20. After graduation, she joined the U.S. Army. She later worked for the State of New York in various departments, most recently as a senior administrative analyst for the Dept. of Finance in Albany. She enjoyed reading, traveling, and photography. She is survived by her husband, Michael; a son; her mother; three siblings; and nieces and nephews.
Andrew M. Tager ’81, of Boston; Aug. 11, of pancreatic cancer. A physician, he served in several positions, including associate physician at Massachusetts General Hospital, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Fibrosis Research Center. In 2012 he received the Marvin I. Schwarz Research Award in Pulmonary Fibrosis and in 2017 the Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishments from the American Thoracic Society. He enjoyed literature, philosophy, public policy, and sports. He is survived by his wife, Carolyn, and a son.
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