“Daily, I water several huge marijuana plants, going crazy on my terrace and legal here in Vermont.”
—Elinore Hart Standard CW’55
1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s| 2020s
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Deadlines 7/15 for the Sep|Oct issue; 9/15 for Nov|Dec; 11/15 for Jan|Feb; 1/15 for Mar|Apr; 3/15 for May|Jun; and 5/15 for Jul|Aug.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1953
Nick Lyons W’53 see Moshe Sonnheim SW’56.
1954
Daniel Lerner C’54 ASC’61 and his wife Lyn were honored with the dedication of the newly named Lyn and Daniel Lerner Visitor Center at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. The Lerners, who live in Merion Station, Pennsylvania, have been coming to Maine for over 30 years, and they are longtime supporters of the Gardens. The Lerner Garden of the Five Senses opened in 2009.
1955
Arlen Blechman W’55 writes, “I continue to lead a discussion group for seniors 55+ as a contractor for Trinity Health, now in my 17th year. My 25 members meet for two hours twice a month, now virtually. Subjects and relevant reading materials are emailed to members five days before each session.”
Elinore Hart Standard CW’55 writes, “The last time I wrote in this space [‘Alumni Voices,’ Sep|Oct 2020], COVID was felling old people like me at a sickening rate. I think I was 86 then and now I’m going on 89. We’ve slowly emerged, reclaiming our everyday lives, sort of. I’ve stuck pretty close to home, making forays around town, still driving within a limited range. I’m not so fearful about COVID as I was, figuring I’ll get sick, or something, sooner or later. My balance is bad and, aside from being pulled over by the dog and doing a face-plant in the driveway, I’m OK. I don’t cook much; I eat oddly. I read newspapers online and subscribe to two print magazines. But here is the thing: I Zoom at least once a day for meetings, and thank goodness, mostly, for that technology. I read books on my laptop; some are what you’d call literature, some not. I just finished 23 Inspector Bill Slider novels by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles and wish there were more. I write a little into a randomly kept journal. I listen to Aoi Teshima on Spotify through the little speaker system I installed. Daily, I water several huge marijuana plants, going crazy on my terrace and legal here in Vermont. When the ladies, that’s the plants, are fully budded, harvested, and dried, I plan to make a healing ointment from infused THC oil, beeswax, and coconut oil. I’ll get two-ounce jars from Amazon, that squid, where I get everything else. Sorry to say. So that’s it for now. As I said last time, trying to keep up is hard. In a shutting-down process, I’ve managed to let go—not only of lots of stuff, but of old fears and regrets.”
1956
Moshe Sonnheim SW’56 writes, “Since my retirement from teaching social work at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, I’ve returned to my ‘first love,’ creative writing, at age 83, and now have stories and poems online and in anthologies. To date, I have 10 books published in English and Hebrew. The latest, Bashert: A Family Memoir, is relevant to ‘Nearing Ninety’ by Nick Lyons W’53 [‘Alumni Voices,’ Sep|Oct 2022]. As I near 90, I reflect on the past, but look forward to the future. Unlike Nick Lyons, I am relatively healthy, my appetite is good, my memory is good, my weight is unchanged in 20 years, I walk 45 minutes a day (without falling), and my still-beautiful wife, Jolene, is nearing 85. Our years together have been a paean to life. We fell in love at first sight: I, a Philadelphia boy who grew up in the lap of security, and she, an Amsterdam girl, a ‘Hidden Child,’ who grew up in the shadow of the Shoah. We met in Jerusalem shortly after my Aliyah in 1971. We married in Holland and have lived in Israel for more than 50 years. We have ‘produced’ two beautiful daughters and nine Sabra grandchildren. We are considering a family cruise to celebrate my 90th, Jolene’s 85th, and our eldest daughter’s 50th birthdays. Meanwhile, in the quiet moments when we are alone, Jolene and I try never to go to sleep angry. We kiss goodnight and kiss good morning. Jolene’s soft and gentle hand on mine keeps the spark of love alive, and we look forward to the years to come.”
1957
Michael Eigen C’57, an associate clinical professor of psychology at New York University, has published Eigen in Seoul, Volume Three: Pain and Beauty, Terror and Wonder (Routledge, 2021). The book is based on one of three seminars he gave in Seoul, between 2007 and 2011, on different aspects of psychoanalysis, spirituality, and the human psyche.
1961
David Gilman W’61 writes, “My active naval service (1961–65) included a memorable evening in Guantanamo harbor as a small boat officer during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Later, I spent my career as a general contractor and developer of high-rise oceanfront condominiums in Florida. Young and unconcerned with ignorance and inexperience, my first project was an intracoastal seven-story condominium designed by my wife, Gail. She had no formal design education, and it was the architect’s first multistory project. All sold in five months. We continued working together for 30 years on a handshake, and many purchasers followed us from building to building. I’ve been married 60 years to my wife, whom I met on a college graduation trip to Florida. We have three daughters—two lawyers and a realtor—and they’ve added four grandsons and a granddaughter to our family. In these ‘dotage’ years, I’m completing a new oceanfront condominium project. As always, I continue to enjoy tarpon fishing in the Keys where a warning sign should read, ‘Park Your Shoulders at the Waterfront.’ Attended my 50th Penn Reunion and was grateful for name tags, especially mine.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1963
Harry Groome C’63 has published Giant of the Valley, which contains two novellas, including the title story and The Witness. Giant of the Valley is a tale of a family struggling with the encroaching dementia of its aging patriarch. The Witness follows a revered concert pianist who pays a horrendous price to protect his Muslim granddaughters from being killed or raped during the Bosnian War.
1964
Dr. Edward F. Rossomando D’64 writes, “On September 7, a CRET Innovation Center was opened at the Lincoln Memorial University’s College of Dental Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee. This is the fifth Innovation Center opened by CRET (Center for Research and Education in Technology). The opening remarks by CRET CEO Susan Ferrante contained many kind remarks about me and my role in founding CRET and in promoting dental education. A transcript can be read at cretdental.org, and in addition there are some photos of me (the old man with very gray hair). There is one with Ms. Ferrante (who is much taller than me) and one with my wife, Nina Primakoff Rossomando CW’64, in the black dress.”
1967
Eleanor Hubbard CW’67 GFA’71, an artist living on Martha’s Vineyard, exhibited a series of paintings created during the COVID-19 pandemic, titled Marking Time, in the Feldman Family Art Space in Vineyard Haven, September 12–October 10. Eleanor notes that the gallery is endowed by Sam Feldman W’50. Her paintings can be viewed at eleanorhubbard.com.
Charles “Chuck” W. Newhall III C’67 has published two new books, Dare Disturb the Universe: A Memoir of Venture Capital (Koehler Books, 2022) and The Chronicles of Stanley the Pug (Koehler Books, 2021), which is a children’s book, illustrated by Embla Granqvist. Chuck is a third-generation venture capitalist and cofounder of New Enterprise Associates, an early-stage venture capital firm. From his memoir’s press materials: “Dare Disturb the Universe is a compelling narrative that sheds light on an industry that’s behind many of the success stories in business that have created today’s economy.” Chuck was profiled in our Mar|Apr 2017 issue.
Sidney Perkowitz Gr’67, professor emeritus of physics at Emory University, has published his second collection of articles and essays written for general readers. Science Sketches: The Universe from Different Angles (Jenny Stanford Publishing, 2022) explores “the outer and inner universes from cosmic space to the human mind, from the artistic use of science to the impact of technology and AI in the justice system, in medicine, and in dealing with COVID-19.”
Richard C. Robinson C’67 has been named to Best Lawyers’ 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the Litigation–Construction category, an honor he has received every year since 2010. Richard is a member of Connecticut law firm Pullman & Comley’s construction law and litigation section and has been practicing law for more than 50 years.
1969
Joseph H. Cooper W’69 L’72 writes, “I’m happy to report that my COVID-era debut picture book, Grandpa’s Lonely, Isn’t He?, has been favorably reviewed by Kirkus Reviews and Foreword Reviews. The book is about social distancing during a pandemic and a young child’s concern for his family. Kirkus describes it as ‘an earnest kids’ story that aims to build resilience and optimism in young readers.’ Foreword says, ‘The color illustrations are intricate works of art. … Even the black-and-white pictures include myriad clever components.’”
1970
Ruth Lepson CGS’70 recently published On the Way: New and Selected Poems (MadHat Press). She has retired from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she was poet-in-residence for 25 years.
1971
Jack L. B. Gohn C’71 G’71 has published a book, What I Was Listening to When… A Memoir Set to Music (McHenry Press, 2021). He writes, “It’s a memoir that follows me from nursery to pandemic; it also follows the music I was listening to at moments along that journey. As I state in the introduction, the music evokes the moments, and the moments evoke the music. Many of the moments brought to life were during my years at Penn. And the text is accompanied by a free public Spotify playlist that enables the reader to hear as well as read about most of the music I consider. The book is partly confessional, partly poignant reminiscence, and partly an interrogation of the music that did not merely reflect but often structured my thoughts and feelings over the years.”
Adele Lindenmeyr CW’71, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University since 2014, has been named the inaugural William and Julia Moulden Dean of the College. From the release: “The endowed deanship was recently established with a $7.5 million anonymous gift, which will allow the college to invest in key programmatic and student-focused initiatives, while honoring William and Julia Moulden, a Black, Catholic couple who provided crucial support to the Augustinian founders of Villanova College in the 19th century.”
1972
Deborah R. Willig CW’72, a managing partner at Willig, Williams & Davidson, spoke in July at the 2022 National Labor-Management Conference about her experience securing the first-ever collective bargaining agreement for US professional women soccer players.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1973
Marlene Rabinowitz C’73 has published a new children’s book, under her pen name Dr. Marlene MD, titled Happy Ever After: A Pandemic Tale. She writes, “This children’s book evolved from my short story The Day the Unicorns Came to Delray Beach. The tale is a fun, educational way for children to learn and discuss the pandemic.”
1974
Susan Danilow CW’74 G’74 writes, “The Class of ’74 will celebrate its 50th Reunion on May 17–19, 2024, and we would love to have you with us! We’ll have the chance to reconnect, remember, and reminisce about our time as Penn students—and to share updates about our lives post-graduation—while enjoying a wonderful time on campus. Please mark your calendar! Plans will feature a welcome cocktail reception, an afternoon picnic following the traditional Parade of Classes down our beloved Locust Walk, a Saturday night dinner, and a farewell brunch. We are also hoping to arrange for museum visits and the opportunity to hear from Penn’s new president, Liz Magill. Our reunion committee has met by Zoom several times so far, but it is not too late to join us. Please let us know if you would like to help in planning the celebration by reaching out to Class Co-President Harve Hnatiuk EE’74, at hnat463@gmail.com. We would be so excited to include you and promise you’ll have fun along the way!”
H. Ronald Klasko L’74, a partner at Klasko Immigration Law Partners, has been selected for the 29th edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of immigration law.
1977
Anita DeFrantz L’77 has been selected as an award recipient for Sports Business Journal’s 2022 class of Champions: Pioneers and Innovators in Sports Business. According to the press release from SBJ, “Anita DeFrantz was an American Olympic rower, winning bronze in the 1976 Games in Montreal in the women’s eight and qualifying for the boycotted 1980 Games in Moscow. She was the chair of the prototype of the IOC [International Olympic Committee] Women in Sport Commission and was elected in 1997 as the first female vice president of the IOC Executive Committee. She was elected back on the IOC Executive Board in 2013 and to a four-year term as IOC vice president in 2017. She is on the board of directors of the Al Oerter Foundation. DeFrantz was awarded the Olympic Order in 1980 for her contributions to the Olympics. She has twice been vice president of the International Rowing Federation.” Anita was highlighted in a feature in our Jul|Aug 2012 issue (“Penn in the Olympics”).
Howard Kelrick C’77 writes, “After 45 years in the diamond jewelry manufacturing business, I have retired. And, wasting no time, I have already begun my new career: I am the new head pickleball instructor at a beach club in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1978
Ed Glickman EAS’78 W’78, executive chairman of AIP Asset Management in the US, has received a Fulbright Specialist Program award to Uzbekistan from the US Department of State. He will complete a project at the Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund “that aims to exchange knowledge and establish partnerships benefiting participants, institutions, and communities both in the US and overseas through a variety of educational and training activities within the field of public administration.”
Vincent T. Lombardo C’78, a retired attorney at the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, will be inducted into the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame on November 4. He writes, “I am extremely honored—I cried when I read Dean Lee Fisher’s email notifying me. My deepest thanks to my wife, Barbara Stanford, for all of the support and assistance that she has given me throughout my career and my volunteer activities. I share this award with her.”
Dr. Sam Okpaku GM’78, clinical professor of psychiatry at George Washington University, is editor of a new two-volume series from Springer Reference, titled Innovations in Global Mental Health. Sam is a former assistant professor of psychiatry at Penn.
1979
Bill Friedman W’79 writes, “Ross Smotrich C’79, Michael ‘Zvi’ Stern C’79, Gadi Hill W’79, and I have remained close friends and schedule one or two or more (depending on who has some spare change for drinks) gatherings every year with our better halves. A recent gathering celebrated the Honey Deuce cocktail as featured at the US Open. A good time was had by all.”
1980
Gayle Kartoz Printz C’80 has been named one of 2022’s 60 World Master Artists by Art Tour International magazine. She received her 22-carat gold award in late June at the Art Tour International Award Ceremony in New York. As Gayle made her televised acceptance speech, her artwork appeared on a Times Square billboard. Gayle began painting in May of 2020 and her work can be viewed at www.GaylePrintz.com.
1981
Mike Bellissimo C’81 has joined TBD Health as its chief revenue officer. He writes, “Founders Stephanie Estey and Daphne Chen have built a powerhouse start-up where everyone can own their own sexual and reproductive healthcare. As a safe, supportive, stigma-free, and secure care provider, TBD Health offers a holistic and integrated care experience through its first standalone clinic in Las Vegas (vegas.tbd.health) and through telehealth services and testing in Florida, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. We are looking to partner with universities, employers, insurers, providers, digital health organizations, and labs in delivering these necessary care services. Email me at mike@tbd.health or visit hello.tbd.health to learn more.”
Paul R. Schaefer C’81 writes, “I recently completed a 25-year tenure at Grove City (PA) College to pursue other teaching and preaching activities. Having chaired the department of Biblical and Religious Studies for most of my time there, I was honored for my work by being awarded the Samuel P. Harbison Chair of Religion. I also authored the book The Spiritual Brotherhood: Cambridge Puritans and the Nature of Christian Piety and am a contributor to Carl Trueman’s Protestant Scholasticism: Essays in Reassessment. My wife Bonnie Maclay Schaefer C’84 and I recently celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, after having met at Penn. She is currently using her Temple MBA and software company background at a tax accounting firm. We are pleased to announce the graduation in June of our son Andrew, magna cum laude, from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, with a BFA in Game Art. He is pursuing employment in level design and 3D modeling/animation. We’re also the proud parents of Stephanie Renae Schaefer Sipe, a Grove City College graduate who married in late May and works as a youth minister in Pittsburgh.”
1982
Dee M. Robinson C’82 has written a new book, Courage by Design: Ten Commandments +1 for Moving Past Fear to Joy, Fulfillment, and Purpose. Dee is founder of Robinson Hill, a concessions management firm specializing in retail and restaurants at airports and other nontraditional venues. From the book’s press materials: “Each section presents a Courage by Design Commandment and uses compelling stories from Robinson’s experience and that of other highly successful individuals … to demonstrate the commandments in action. End-of-section journaling questions and implementation guides support you in building your courage muscle and learning to get into ‘goodtrouble,’ taking risks to create opportunities for yourself—and for others.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1983
Athena Anthopoulos C’83 GEd’93 and John H. Grady L’85 were married on June 12, 2021, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
1984
David Fideler C’84 is a writer, philosopher, and editor of the Stoic Insights website (stoicinsights.com), which offers modern reflections on ancient Stoic philosophy. His most recent book is Breakfast with Seneca: A Stoic Guide to the Art of Living (W. W. Norton, 2021).
Deborah A. Katz C’84 has been named president of the nonprofit Jewish Genealogy Society of Cleveland.
Bonnie Maclay Schaefer C’84 see Paul R. Schaefer C’81.
1985
Liz Kenny C’85 has been appointed chief marketing officer at Truth Initiative, a national public health organization with a mission to prevent youth smoking, vaping, and nicotine use. In this role, Liz leads the organization’s truth campaign and manages its suite of products and services, such as an anonymous text-message quit vaping program, and a digital, peer-to-peer curriculum on vaping in thousands of high schools nationwide.
1987
Jeffrey Masten G’87 Gr’91 has been named a 2022 Guggenheim Fellow. He is professor of English and gender & sexuality studies at Northwestern University and author of Queer Philologies: Sex, Language, and Affect in Shakespeare’s Time (Penn Press, 2016).
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1988
Lisa Andujar W’88 has been promoted to director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Columbia Business School.
1989
Anne Evens G’89, CEO of Elevate, has received a Heinz Award, which annually recognizes “a small handful of outstanding individuals with a $250,000 unrestricted cash award,” according to the press release. It continues, “[Anne] has dedicated her life’s work to ensuring equal access to climate solutions that provide clean and affordable heat, power, and water in homes and communities throughout the US.”
Thomas Lambert C’89, a managing partner at FLB Law in Westport, Connecticut, has been named to the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers, in the Litigation–Insurance category.
1990
Barry E. Moscowitz C’90 has been appointed acting director and chief administrative law judge of the New Jersey Office of Administrative Law by Governor Phil Murphy. Barry has served as an administrative law judge since 2006.
1991
Matthew B. Malozi EAS’91 has been named chair of the board for the Lehigh and Northampton County Transportation Authority (LANTA). He will serve a two-year term. Matthew is cofounder and president of Civitas Regio, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based civil engineering firm.
David Perla C’91 L’94 see Jordan Licht C’99.
Dr. Mikkael Sekeres C’91 GM’96 M’96, a leukemia specialist and medical professor at the University of Miami, has written a new book, Drugs and the FDA: Safety, Efficacy, and the Public’s Trust. In addition to giving a history of the FDA’s oversight and regulation of drugs, it also provides his personal account as a panelist for the 2011 hearings on the breast cancer drug Avastin, demonstrating how the agency’s system of checks and balances works—or doesn’t work.
Ken Weinstein G’91, president of the real estate development firm Philly Office Retail, was presented with the Mary Werner DeNadai Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia on September 22. The award is given to a civic leader who has made a lasting impact in historic preservation. The ceremony took place at the historic Glen Foerd estate in the Torresdale neighborhood of Philadelphia, with a special tribute from Pennsylvania Congressman Dwight Evans.
1992
Jennifer Arbittier Williams C’92 L’95 has joined Freeh Sporkin & Sullivan LLP as partner. Most recently, Jennifer served as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. She is also an adjunct professor at Penn’s Carey Law School.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
1993
Dr. Marc Arginteanu M’93 has written a new horror novel, Azazel’s Public House. Marc is an associate clinical professor in neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and an adjunct instructor in psychology at Florida International University in Miami.
William C. Kashatus Gr’93, a historian, educator, and author of more than 20 books, has published a new biography of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Steve “Lefty” Carlton and catcher Tim McCarver. Lefty and Tim: How Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver Became Baseball’s Best Battery details the duo’s relationship from 1965, when they played with the St. Louis Cardinals, through 1980, when they played for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Ilan Markus C’93, a partner at Barclay Damon LLP, has been named a Lawyer of the Year in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Ilan was recognized in the category of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He works out of the firm’s New Haven, Connecticut, office.
1995
Michael Rosenberg L’95 has transitioned from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) Division of Enforcement and Investigations to the PCAOB’s Office of International Affairs, where he is an associate director. He writes, “In this new role, I advise the board in connection with its oversight of non-US firms. My wife Sheryl Rosenberg and I are empty nesters living in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC.”
Asha Bhatiani Scielzo C’95 has been named president-elect designate of the American Health Law Association, a nonprofit “devoted to advancing excellence in health law by educating and connecting the health law community.” Asha is also director of the Health Law and Policy Program at American University Washington College of Law. She and her husband, Henry Andrew Scielzo W’95, reside in the Washington, DC, area with their two daughters.
1996
Şebnem Gökçen C’96 writes, “I’m happy to share that my first book of short fiction in Turkish was published in August. It’s a collection of 20 stories and more than 30 characters that I’ve been loving and living with for the past five years. I hope you, as English readers, can meet them one day, too. More information on my book, together with my very short stories in English, can be found at sebnemgokcen.com.”
1999
Jordan Licht C’99 has been hired as chief financial officer at Burford Capital, a finance and asset management firm focused on law. Also at the company are David Helfenbein C’08, vice president of public relations, and David Perla C’91 L’94, co-chief operating officer.
2002
Benjamin Folkinshteyn C’02 L’06 see Jennie Woltz C’04.
Patricia Melloy Gr’02, a biology professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University, has published her first college-level textbook, Viruses and Society (Routledge, 2022).
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
2003
Col. James Goetschius GCP’03 took command of the US Army Health Facility Planning Agency on May 12 in a ceremony at the Defense Health Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.
Matthew Wich C’03 writes, “I am pleased to announce that this past June, Phinest Tissue Culture Cannabis Nursery in Sacramento, California, named me chief operations officer. Phinest is the largest cannabis tissue culture nursery in North America and represents significant technological advancement for the cannabis industry. As the challenges of this emergent industry continue to present themselves, Phinest’s technology ensures high phytosanitary standards, removing significant risk from scaled cannabis production. The cannabis industry is a landscape of constant change and I’m pleased to be working with an organization that can provide stability.”
2004
Harpreet Dhaliwa GAr’04 and her spouse and partner Chris Dameron are designing the next phase of the Kijana Global Innovation School in Western Kenya to be built in partnership with the Kijana Educational Empowerment Initiative. The couple is designing a library/media center with indoor collaboration spaces and an amphitheater, while showcasing sustainable building practices, like rainwater collection, permaculture gardens, and the use of 100 percent local materials and labor. More information can be found at kijana.org.
Grace Su Patel C’04 has joined financial research and benchmarking firm Hearts & Wallets as a client success relationship manager.
Jennie Woltz C’04 and Benjamin Folkinshteyn C’02 L’06, spouses and partners at Woltz & Folkinshteyn P.C., write, “We are celebrating the second anniversary of our Stamford, Connecticut-based boutique law firm specializing in labor and employment law. We are deeply committed to civic responsibility and see our family-owned legal practice as an extension of our deepest values. Ben serves on the Penn Law Alumni Society’s board of managers, is a member of the City of Stamford’s board of ethics, and is also on the board of the Kings Bay YM-YWHA, located in Brooklyn. Jennie is one of the founding board members of Wheel It Forward, a free lending library for durable medical equipment, and speaks frequently regarding emerging legal issues affecting labor and employment law.”
2005
Jill E. Desimini GAr’05 GLA’05, associate professor of landscape architecture at Harvard, has published Cyclical City: Five Stories of Urban Transformation (University of Virginia Press, 2022). From the book’s description: “As cities evolve and resources shift with time, spaces within those cities are often left fallow and abandoned. Cyclical City tells the stories behind these sites, from Philadelphia’s Liberty Lands park to Lisbon’s Green Plan, and it looks at the ways in which these narratives can be leveraged toward future engagement and use.”
2006
Kathryn Heninger Britton CGS’06 has written Sit Write Share: Practical Writing Strategies to Transform Your Experience into Content that Matters. She writes, “It captures what I’ve learned from years of writing, publishing, running writers’ workshops, and coaching authors. A handbook for people who want to become better at the craft of writing, it is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and various e-book providers.”
Robert Forman W’06 celebrated his wedding to Benjamin Fink on October 15 at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
2007
Dr. Christine A. Chen EAS’07 D’16 writes, “After being the lead orthodontist at a private practice in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, where I treated a wide range of malocclusions, I decided it was time to go out on my own. In January, I started my own orthodontic practice as a Damon braces and Invisalign exclusive provider, and I’m proud to carry on the Penn tradition of excellence in North Potomac, Maryland, serving the greater DMV area (DC, Maryland, and Virginia). Three days after starting my office, my husband and I welcomed a healthy baby boy. I’m carefully monitoring how his teeth are coming in! The American Association of Orthodontics recommends the first orthodontic checkup at age seven, no referral needed from the dentist. I’m new to the area and would love to hear from fellow Penn alumni! My office welcomes kids, teens, and adults. For a complimentary consultation, please call 301-977-1441 or email me at hi@northpotomacortho.com.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
2008
David Helfenbein C’08 see Jordan Licht C’99.
2009
Shane D. Valenzi C’09, a commercial litigation attorney, has joined the Pittsburgh-based law firm of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston.
2010
Justin Chen L’10, a commercial litigation attorney at Alavi Anaipakos PLLC in Houston, has earned selection in the 2023 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America, which recognizes the country’s top young lawyers.
Christina Kim Suh C’10, an attorney at Tucker Ellis LLP, has been selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America for 2023 in the area of Banking and Finance Law.
2011
Amber Efé Tingle Gr’11 has joined Microsoft as managing editor for research publishing.
2012
Ufuoma C. Abiola GEd’12 GrEd’17 LPS’23, an adjunct assistant professor at Penn’s Graduate School of Education and School of Arts and Sciences, has been named Princeton University Library’s inaugural executive head and associate university librarian for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She was also named the 2022 Educator of the Year by Penn GSE.
George Aulisio LPS’12 has been named dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library at the University of Scranton. His scholarship includes work in both philosophy and library science, and he recently published a book, titled Sudden Selector’s Guide to Philosophy Resources, for an imprint of the American Library Association and has served as editor of the Library Materials and Pricing Index since 2018. Prior to being named dean, he was a professor and department chairperson of the library faculty at the University of Scranton. He is currently completing his PhD in philosophy from Temple.
Teryn Thomas GEd’12, CEO and cofounder of EdLight, has been accepted into the Google for Startups Accelerator: Black Founders Program. From the release: “EdLight is emerging as an innovator on the pathway to developing artificial intelligence to classify mistakes in handwritten work. Its mission is to support and enrich teachers in K–12 who faced challenges offering remote learning experiences, especially during the pandemic. … Google for Startups’ 10-week program of mentorship and technical support will advance the development of EdLight’s AI to identify common mistakes in handwritten student work.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
2013
Taylor Cook C’13 see Lars-Patrik Roeller EAS’15 GEng’15.
John Onwualu W’13 and Ariana Tabatabaie C’14 were married on May 7, in Santa Barbara, California. They write, “We were surrounded by friends and family, including nearly 30 Penn alumni. Ariana was a member of the Penn track & field team as well as Alpha Chi Omega sorority, while John was a member of the Penn football team as well as Saint Anthony Hall. While we were at Penn we built an overlapping community. We dated for two years on-campus surrounded by friends and teammates and continued growing surrounded by a very strong Penn community in New York City! Since our undergraduate days, we’ve lived in New York, Santa Barbara, Washington, DC, and now San Francisco, but have managed to stay very close to the Penn community along the way. Given our origin story, John found it fitting to surprise Ariana on January 9, 2021, with a proposal on Locust Walk, and we decided to officially become a family where our relationship began more than eight years earlier.”
2014
Sarah Van Sciver C’14 has composed an opera, which made its world premiere in October by Wilmington Concert Opera, an exclusively woman- and minority-run company based in Delaware. From the press materials: “Girondines, based on historical fact, focuses on the story of six real life French Revolutionaries who presumably knew one another, met in secret before the Reign of Terror, and supported one another during the political upheaval. All six of the revolutionaries are women, and of these, three are guillotined and three live.” Learn more about Sarah’s work at sarahvansciver.com.
2015
Lars-Patrik Roeller EAS’15 GEng’15 and Taylor Cook C’13 joyfully announce the birth of their daughter, Arielle Francine Roeller, on May 4 in New York.
2016
Benjamin Behrend C’16 and Emily Alexander were married on August 21 at Congregation Rodeph Shalom in Philadelphia. Among the guests in attendance were Daniel Behrend WG’71, Susan Behrend C’80 Nu’80 GNu’86, Dona Horowitz-Behrend G’94 Gr’05, Keith Alexander C’83, Lori Paster C’83 GEd’85, Lois Alexander Ed’55, Oscar Serpell C’15 LPS’16, and Madeline Vincent W’13. Emily is a program manager in the Office of Evaluation, Research, and Accountability at the School District of Philadelphia, and Benjamin is a fundraiser for the University of Pennsylvania.
2017
Aimee Gilmore GFA’17 is an artist living in Philadelphia. A project she started as a graduate student, Milkscapes, uses breastmilk as a medium for art. In a collaborative effort with Mural Arts Philadelphia and the Maternity Care Coalition, Aimee created flags with designs made from spilt breastmilk that line the outside of an Early Head Start building in South Philadelphia. Aimee has also incorporated breastmilk into a meditation necklace that is part of the collection at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts. She was recently profiled in the August 13 issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer (tinyurl.com/milkscapes). More information can be found on her website, aimeegilmore.com.
Michael Shafir GAr’17 GLA’17 and Sam Geldin Gr’22 write, “We were happily married in Toronto this past August at the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. We were joined by friends and family, including Laura Carey C’09 GAr’14 GLA’14, Christina Franz GAr’15 GFA’15, Hannah Gompers GAr’17, Joanna Karaman C’12 GAr’15 GLA’15, Jia Kim GAr’14, Ella Lu C’12 GAr’15 GFA’15, and Emma Molloy GAr’17 GFA’17 GLA’17. We live and work in Washington, DC.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 12–15, 2023!
2018
Michael A. Cioce GrEd’18, president of Rowan College at Burlington County, has been named a 2022–23 New Presidents Fellow by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. He will join a cohort of 25 community college presidents that, according to Aspen, “are innovators who are willing to take risks and are prepared to take strategic action.”
2019
Ioannis Rutledge GEng’19 and Lamiaa Dakir married in New York on May 7. Ioannis writes, “Funny enough, even though we went to the same college as undergrads, we did not meet in college. We actually met in Jersey City, where, as luck would have it, we only lived two blocks away from each other! In other news, I’ve transitioned away from the start-up and consulting world into New York residential real estate. I’m pleased to announce that last year I joined Cooper & Cooper (a top-tier luxury New York real estate brokerage) as an agent. I handle sales and rentals throughout the city and state. If you (or a friend) are looking to buy or rent in New York, I would be delighted to be of assistance. I can be reached via my associate page: coopercooper.com/ioannisrutledge.”
2022
Sam Geldin Gr’22 see Michael Shafir GAr’17 GLA’17.