“My wife and I have eight children, one dog, two goats, and too many chickens to count.”
—Gary Kalbaugh GL’99
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 15–18, 2026!
1956
Morton “Mort” Handel C’56 celebrated his 90th birthday last April with a party of 250 friends and acquaintances at the Woodfield Country Club in Boca Raton, Florida, his home for many years. He retired, “finally,” he writes, after serving as chairman of the board of Marvel Entertainment after its sale to the Disney Corporation at the end of 2009. He has also been a board member of Linens ‘N Things, CompUSA, and Trump Entertainment Resorts. He continues to serve as a Life Regent of the University of Hartford and Life Trustee of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. At Penn, he was a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
1957
Richard A. Silver C’57 celebrated his 90th birthday with family and friends in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, in January. In attendance were colleagues from Silver Golub & Teitell LLP, the law firm in Stamford, Connecticut, he cofounded in 1978 and where he still actively practices. As an attorney, Richard uses AI every day on medical and legal matters to stay up to date with his practice. In acknowledgement of his lifetime achievements, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn.) read a tribute to him on the floor of the US Senate, celebrating his six-decade legal career and his impact on Connecticut’s legal landscape. It can be read at tinyurl.com/SilverTribute.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
1961
Gerald A. Friedlander W’61, a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, recounts his life after Wharton. He attended Harvard Law School, practiced law for 16 years, and then became president of his family’s furnishings business in Alabama. There, he presided over the boards of three not-for-profits: Mobile Jewish Welfare Fund; United Way of Southwest Alabama; and Mobile Arc (formerly known as MARC), which advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Jerry then sold his family’s business, retired (for the first time) in late 2006, and enrolled at the University of South Alabama at age 70. He was awarded the Outstanding Gerontology Graduate Student Award for his studies on aging. He later worked for his local area agency on aging before retiring (again) at the end of 2012. In 2017, he and his wife, Kay, moved to Tampa, Florida, to be near their daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter. Jerry still volunteers with various organizations, and in his words, “life has never been better!”
1964
Stuart Resor C’64 writes, “Sadly, I see a big number of men from our class already gone too soon. [But for] the women, so far, almost none of them are gone. I think this might be related to all the tobacco and smoking that went on in our earlier years. I smoked a little but then ceased after leaving Penn. I saw a sample of lung tissue at the Del Mar Fair of a smoker’s lung, all black and sooty, and a nonsmoker’s lung, all clean and perfect! I never smoked again and avoided situations with smokers. My wife Bonnie is very focused on good health, diet, and behaviors. She is reading a book on longevity. The best thing we do is line dancing at the YMCA! I recommend that to anyone. Our new townhome in Suffolk, Virginia, has one flight of stairs that we both like and I try to jog that every day. Then we have a great, almost traffic-free loop road here that is great to walk around almost every day.”
1965
Dale Richard Perelman WG’65 has published his 11th book with The History Press, a true crime book titled New Castle’s Las Vegas Guys: Gangsters, Gamblers and Dealers. Based upon extensive interviews, Dale “unfolds this cavalier group’s frolicking adventures as they navigated their way from the belly of the downtown Golden Gate to some of the Strip’s premiere casinos, all while teetering along the right side of the law,” according to the press materials.
Ellen Stekert Gr’65, a folk singer and folklorist, has released a new single, “Puttin’ on the Style,” revisiting a recording of the song that she made in the early 1960s. The song can be heard on her website, ellenstekert.com. (A different version of this song can also be found on her now-rare debut record, 1955’s Ozark Mountain Folk Songs, Volume One.) She writes in a press release, “‘Puttin’ on the Style’ speaks of minor ‘outrages’ of people attempting to be accepted within the society of both the narrator and what s/he sees.” On her website, listeners can also hear another new single, “Golden Apples of the Sun,” which sets W. B. Yeats’s poem “Song of the Wandering Aengus” to a melody Ellen has carried with her for decades.
1967
Dr. Edward Feller C’67 has finished his term as interim director of Medical Student Research at Brown University where he is clinical professor of medical science in the Division of Medical Education. He is co-editor-in-chief emeritus of the Rhode Island Medical Journal, the official journal of the Rhode Island Medical Society.
1968
Bobbi Penneys Susselman Laufer CW’68 writes that she’s celebrating “44 years of selling travel all over the world.” This year, she will be escorting two tiny groups (never more than eight travelers) to Zambia and Tanzania in June and Namibia and Botswana in October. If interested, contact her at [email protected].
1970
Karen B. Schleimer CW’70 has been named deputy mayor of the coterminous Village/Town of Mount Kisco, New York. She has served the village for many years as chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, member of the Planning Board, prosecutor, and Village trustee, all while maintaining a full-time legal practice.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
1971
Ken Roemer G’68 Gr’71 launched his open access digital archive Covers, Titles, and Tables (mavmatrix.uta.edu/exhibit/ctt), in November. He explains, “CTT exhibits 200 years of the tables of contents of American literary anthologies and literary histories, more than a century of scholarship indices, and full essays by leading scholars. The Introduction tab defines how the archive chronicles the American literary canon formations and how anthologies and histories define how to represent America during our 250th anniversary. The one-page About tab offers an overview with instructions on searches and the location of a real-time global map indicating downloads, including substantial downloads from South America and Asia. Harvard Professor Werner Sollors called CTT a ‘monumental’ resource.” Ken is a professor emeritus at the University of Texas, Arlington, in the department of English.
Linda Silverstein CW’71 see Kim Rogoff Silverstein C’01.
1972
Dr. Peter Silverstein M’72 see Kim Rogoff Silverstein C’01.
1973
Arnold Rochvarg C’73, professor emeritus at the University of Baltimore School of Law, had his book on the 1960’s civil rights movement published by the University of Missouri Press. No One Ever Asked: The Untold Story of a Civil Rights Worker is a narrative history of the mid-1960’s civil rights movement based on the experiences of a young woman who quit college and became involved with many of the important events and persons of the movement. The book’s “bottom-up” approach to history interweaves its discussion of historical events with personal stories of civil rights “foot soldiers” who faced violence, imprisonment, and family rejection because of their commitment to fight for racial equality and justice.
1977
Richard “Rick” Meyer W’77, a former professional tennis player, writes, “Danny Waldman and I won the ITF Masters World Doubles Tennis Championships in 2025 for our age group (70+), played in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. We beat the number one team in the world in the finals. Danny Waldman played number one for Harvard when I played number one for Penn. We are the number one team in the world. Nice to be number one in the world in anything.”
Regina Sokaler Wolgel OT’77 writes, “Last July, I retired from my hospital position to launch my encore career: expanding my occupational therapy private practice and teaching more qigong.” She shares that a study done with her occupational therapist colleagues, entitled “Qigong: Introducing the Ultimate OT Modality to an Inpatient Rehab Unit,” has been accepted as a poster presentation at the 2026 Science of Tai Chi and Qigong Whole Person Health Conference being held at Harvard Medical School on April 30–May 1.
1978
Steven Miller EE’78 shares that he “ended up working as a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and Singapore Management University (SMU), and as an industry practitioner in Oyama, Japan, and Richardson, Texas (Fujitsu Limited Telecom Division), Columbia, Maryland (RWD Technologies), and Singapore (IBM services consulting).” While in Singapore, he was the founding dean of SMU’s School of Computing and Information Systems and also served as the university’s vice provost of research. In 2022, he coauthored the book Working with AI: Real Stories of Human-Machine Collaboration (MIT Press). After spending 23 years in Singapore, he returned to the US in mid-2023. He now resides in Stamford, Connecticut, continues to do advisory work related to AI and analytics applications and operational deployments, and serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Connecticut’s Stamford regional campus.
Mark S. Mingelgreen W’78 has been named to Variety magazine’s 2025 list of Elite Business Managers. Mark is managing partner with Peyser & Alexander Management and has been with the firm for 33 years. His clients include television personalities, authors, journalists, television and film producers and directors, as well as corporate executives. He shares, “Also, by the time this gets published [I] will have cycled the seven-day, 560-mile Empire State Ride from Staten Island to Niagara Falls to raise money for cancer research.”
Paul Root Wolpe C’78 and Valerie Root Wolpe C’79 GEd’84 met at Penn as undergraduates and have now been married for 40 years. Paul writes, “After 17 years as the director of the Center for Ethics at Emory University in Atlanta (following over 20 years of teaching at Penn), I am now building a new center for the university, a center for Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation (PACT).” In 2025 Paul spoke at the Nobel Peace Laureates Summit in Monterrey, Mexico, and was awarded the 2025 Humanitarian of the Year Award from the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
1979
Badi H. Baltagi Gr’79, a distinguished professor of economics at Syracuse University and senior research fellow at the school’s Center for Policy Research, has been awarded a Great Arab Minds Award for 2025 in the economics category by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. According to Gulf News, Badi was recognized for “a career that has reshaped modern economic analysis and strengthened the foundations of econometrics.”
Valerie Root Wolpe C’79 GEd’84 see Paul Root Wolpe C’78.
1980
Bonnie Miao Bandeen C’80 WG’85 and her husband Derek are cofounders of a new nonprofit, the Parkinson’s Wellness Foundation (PWF), which they started after Derek was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. PWF provides education, community, and support to families facing Parkinson’s disease, with a special focus on mental wellbeing. One of the foundation’s first initiatives is the opening of the Bandeen Center in Manhattan this year. This facility will be dedicated to supporting the Parkinson’s community in and beyond New York City with specialized fitness classes, events, and wellness programs. Bonnie served on Penn’s Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2024, Wharton’s Board of Advisor’s from 2016 to 2023, and the Wharton Executive Board for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from 2011 to 2020. She remains on the Trustees’ Council of Penn Women.
Vincent J. Palusci C’80 retired from full-time clinical practice and continues as a professor of pediatrics and forensic medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. In addition, he has joined the Babies and Toddlers Task Force at the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. His photography and familial Penn Band ties were recently highlighted in a Gazette cover story [“And the Band Played On,” Jan|Feb 2023].
1982
Antonia M. Villarruel GNu’82, a professor and the Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at Penn Nursing, is the coauthor of a new book from the American Public Health Association, which examines how the social determinants of health (SDOH) have different impacts across multiple racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Titled Systems That Impact Population Health: Past and Present, the book “combines historical analysis, contemporary policy review, and population-specific chapters to show how racism functions across social systems—including healthcare, education, employment, housing, the environment, justice, and immigration—to produce persistent health inequities,” according to a news release from Penn’s Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
1986
Lee X. Blonder Gr’86, professor emerita of behavioral science and anthropology at the University of Kentucky, has published two books, Transformative Health Strategies: Integrative Medicine and the COVID-19 Pandemic and The Beach Was Beautiful, which is a crime novel.
1987
Dr. Carl Law C’87 GM’96 writes, “Hard to believe it’s been nearly 40 years since graduating from Penn in 1987. The curiosity, grit, and sense of community I found on campus still shape me today. After Penn, I went on to earn my MD at Penn State, completed anesthesia residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and a pain management fellowship at Stanford—then settled in California, where I’ve spent more than three decades practicing hospital anesthesia. In April 2025, I took on a new challenge and founded Doctors First Staffing, a physician-founded locum tenens company built around a simple idea: When you put doctors first, patients and hospitals benefit too. I’m still active in the operating room, which keeps me grounded in the realities of clinical care and helps guide how we build smarter, more human staffing solutions. When I’m not working, you’ll find me surfing, spending time with family, or mentoring younger physicians. I’m incredibly grateful for my Penn roots and always happy to connect with fellow Quakers along the way.”
1989
David H. Cohen C’89 was honored by the New York State Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired with the George E. Keane Award in recognition of his work with assistive technology for students who are blind and visually impaired. David writes, “Back in 1994, I received a grant to receive my master’s in the Special Education of the Visually Impaired at Teachers College, Columbia University, and I am currently in my 31st year working for the NYC Department of Education. For the past 20 years I have served as the vision technology coordinator, managing the assistive technology needs of New York City students who are blind and visually impaired, in both public and private schools, as well as leading a team of evaluators to help determine students’ assistive technology needs.” In 2017, David was named an Apple Distinguished Educator for his work training teachers and students to use assistive technology as well as for integrating the technology into students’ curricula.
1990
David Magerman C’90 EAS’90 was recently interviewed on the video podcast Invested by Aleph. David is cofounder and managing partner of Differential Ventures, a New York-based venture capital fund investing in technology companies. In the episode, he discusses how engineering training shaped his thinking across finance and investing; the importance of systems-level reasoning in complex organizations; and why technical education remains foundational well beyond academia. It can be viewed at aleph.vc/content/david-magerman.
1992
Eric Brenner C’92 has been promoted to international administrative partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. Eric is a trial lawyer who works out of the firm’s New York office. He has successfully litigated complex commercial cases involving antitrust, M&A, partnership, RICO, cryptocurrency, and insurance disputes.
David Woolf C’92, a partner in the labor and employment practice group of Faegre Drinker, has been promoted to general counsel. In this role he oversees all legal matters affecting the law firm and advising on ethics and professional responsibility, conflicts of interest, compliance, governance, and risk management.
1993
Jeffrey Blander W’93 released a new children’s book, Jessica and the River Fairies, in January. The book is coauthored with his late mother, Ann Blander, and grew from a short bedtime story she wrote for him on a typewriter when he was four years old. Jeffrey writes, “She passed away less than a year later, making those rediscovered pages especially meaningful.” This is his fifth book and second children’s title. His previous children’s book became an Amazon bestseller and reached more than 50,000 readers globally. He writes, “All proceeds from [my] children’s books are donated to organizations supporting children, caregivers, and educators navigating grief and loss.”
Meredith Gavin Singer C’93 has launched her own federal lobbying and advocacy firm, Impact Advocacy. As a longtime DC-based federal lobbyist who has worked for many Fortune 100 companies over the course of her career, her new company now serves private corporations and nonprofits across a range of issues. Follow her activities on LinkedIn @impactadvocacyllc or reach out via impactadvocacyllc.com.
1994
Airea “Dee” Matthews C’94 has been appointed provost of Bryn Mawr College. Her three-and-a-half-year term began on January 1. In a letter to the community, President Wendy Cadge wrote, “Dee’s genuine dedication to Bryn Mawr, along with her notable professional accomplishments, strategic leadership, and collaborative spirit, make her an exceptional choice to lead the next chapter of our academic endeavors. I have been impressed by her relational empathy, capacity for big ideas, and many qualities that make her a true strategic leader.” Dee is also a professor of creative writing and cochairs the creative writing department at Bryn Mawr.
José Luis Rojas Villarreal C’94 recently concluded six years of service on the Cambridge (MA) School Committee, including three terms as chair of the budget and the building & grounds subcommittees. During his tenure, he helped guide the district through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, working to support students, families, and educators during one of the most complex periods in public education. José Luis highlights his service as “one of the great honors of my professional life,” noting that the experience deepened his commitment to educational equity, public service, and community-centered leadership. He looks forward to continuing his work in education and civic engagement in the years ahead.
1995
Kali Gross G’95 Gr’99, the National Endowment for the Humanities Professor and chair of African American studies at Emory University, is the author of four award-winning books. Her most recent, Vengeance Feminism: The Power of Black Women’s Fury in Lawless Times, won the 2025 ASALH Book Prize (from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History) and the 2025 PEN Open Book Award (from PEN America). She writes, “My current research is on the history of Black women and capital punishment in the US, and I am exploring legacies of race and Jewish ancestry in the Caribbean and South America.” More information can be found on her website, kalinicolegross.com.
1997
Dr. Jennifer Burke C ’97 has been appointed medical director for palliative care at Main Line Health after a year of serving as interim director. Jennifer has been practicing at Main Line Health since 2009.
Sigrid Ladores-Barrett Nu’97 GNu’02 has been named one of the Top 100 Filipinos in the World, given by TOFA (The Outstanding Filipinos Award) during its 15th anniversary in Las Vegas last October. Sigrid currently serves as dean of the School of Nursing at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She writes, “I am proud to represent the Filipino American community. My time at Penn, both as an undergrad and grad student, was pivotal in my development as a scholar and leader.”
1999
Janna Davidson Gilbert W’99 has been named CEO of Luminary Labs, a New York-based strategy and innovation consultancy. She joined the company in 2013, was promoted to president in 2019 and became a partner in 2024. In her new role, she will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the company across all of its functions, focus areas, and capabilities.
Meghen Kobli Ehrich C’99 GEd’00 is celebrating her one-year anniversary as the first data privacy administrator for Prince George’s County (MD) Public Schools, the 18th largest school district in the United States.
Gary Kalbaugh GL’99 is a partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and chair of the law firm’s Commodities, Futures, and Derivatives practice. He writes, “My wife and I have eight children, one dog, two goats, and too many chickens to count.”
Jake Wilson C’99 was elected the 37th mayor of Somerville, Massachusetts, in November and inaugurated on January 3, after serving the past four years as a city councilor-at-large. His wife, Dr. Catherine Evans C’99, is enjoying her new role as the First Lady of Somerville.
2000
Elisabeth L. Austin G’00 Gr’06 and Elena Lahr-Vivaz G’02 Gr’08 are coeditors of a new book, Adaptation and the Edge Effects of Latin American Cultures, which also features contributing authors Rebecca E. Sheehan G’03 Gr’08 and Timothy Corrigan, professor emeritus of English, cinema and media studies, and history of art at Penn. The book delves into the “vibrant and dynamic cultural landscape of Latin America,” according to the press materials, and explores “the creative frictions that arise from the coexistence among, and tensions between, diverse cultures.”
Michelle Holme C’00, a creative director and graphic artist, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package for Bruce Springsteen’s Tracks II: The Lost Albums. This is her third Grammy nomination, and she previously won in 2012 (“Arts blog,” online, March 12, 2012).
Efthimios Parasidis GGS’00 L’00, a law professor at The Ohio State University and consultant for the US Air Force and DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), is author of a new book, America’s Military Biomedical Complex: Law, Ethics, and the Drive for Scientific Innovation (Oxford University Press, 2025). From the press materials: “[The book] shows how the drive for scientific and military superiority has shifted the moral compass of government and society, detailing scores of examples where untoward conduct has been rationalized as necessary to promote national security and achieve military goals.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
2001
Kim Rogoff Silverstein C’01 and Mike Silverstein C’01 are proud to announce that their daughter Ivy Silverstein will be attending Penn as a member of the Class of 2030. They write, “Ivy follows in the footsteps of not only her parents but also grandparents Linda Silverstein CW’71 and Dr. Peter Silverstein M’72, great-uncle Dr. Paul Silverstein M’64, great-aunt Betty Rosenkranz C’78, and cousin Deborah Silverstein, a professor at Penn Vet. Hurrah!”
2002
Elena Lahr-Vivaz G’02 Gr’08 see Elisabeth L. Austin G’00 Gr’06.
2003
Kenneth Johnson GCP’03 L’03, founder and president of Architecture, Urban Design and Policy LLC (archipolicy.com), was honored with two awards last year. The Architecture Community granted his company first place in residential new construction during its World Design Awards 2025; and Rethinking the Future gave him first place in residential new construction during its Global Architecture & Design Awards 2025. The winning project is named GalleryHouse, located in West Philadelphia, “a project deeply rooted in design innovation, sustainability, and community impact,” he writes.
Rani Karnik L’03 (47) and her partner, Vance (49), gave birth to their first child, Om Ravi Karnik. She shares that they “recently celebrated [our] union, Om’s birth, and many years of whole-food veganism.” Rani serves as in-house deal counsel at a major insurance company. Her primary client is the firm’s chief investment office, with a focus on alternative investments. She is still active in the arts, music, and belonging and impact initiatives. Rani and family (including their three feline and two canine companions) are currently located in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Jonathan Lombardo EAS’03 has been elected partner at the law firm BakerHostetler. Jonathan focuses his practice on patent prosecution in the electrical and computer fields, patent portfolio review work in support of litigation, intellectual property due diligence, and intellectual property audit. He works out of the firm’s Philadelphia office.
Rebecca E. Sheehan G’03 Gr’08 see Elisabeth L. Austin G’00 Gr’06.
2004
Dr. Arie Dosoretz C’04 M’09 WG’10, a radiation oncologist and managing partner of Southwest Florida Proton, Advocate Radiation Oncology, and Precision Healthcare Specialists, has been selected by Florida Trend magazine as a Florida 500 honoree for 2025. The Florida 500 program identifies and showcases 500 influential Florida business leaders across all industries. Arie is among 32 individuals recognized in the Health and Life Sciences category.
2005
Thomas Richards Jr. C’05 GEd’06, a history teacher at a private pre-K–12 school, writes, “In February, for the US Semiquincentennial, I am publishing my second book, The Unfinished Business of 1776: Why the American Revolution Never Ended. The book narrates the stories of the countless Americans who believed in the many promises of the American Revolution, and, in the century after independence, continued to push the United States for revolutionary change.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
2006
Gabe Martin C’06 has joined Capitol AI, a company focused on delivering trusted, decision-ready intelligence using artificial intelligence, as vice president of partnerships. His role was created as the company scales its enterprise AI platform across media, government, and other high-stakes sectors where accuracy and judgment are critical. Prior to this appointment, Gabe served as head of university partnerships and business development across the US and Latin America at Coursera.
2009
Keith D. Hoffmann C’09 is running for Rhode Island attorney general in the 2026 Democratic primary election. Keith, a Rhode Island native, previously served as chief of policy and senior counsel to the Rhode Island attorney general, where he helped build the state’s Public Protection Bureau, expanded access to healthcare, and played a central role in Rhode Island’s efforts to challenge harmful federal actions. His campaign website is keithhoffmann.com.
Leonela Vaccaro Padrón C’09 has been promoted to partner at Venable LLP. She specializes in corporate law, and lending and finance transactions.
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
2011
Andrew Steinmetz C’11 L’17 has been promoted to partner at the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner. Andrew is a trial and appellate litigator who focuses on complex commercial disputes and class actions, with substantial experience in practice areas including real estate, healthcare, financial services, sports and entertainment, and corporate restructuring.
2015
Jessica Schneider Rollén C’15 and Sebastian Rollén C’16 W’16 welcomed their second child, Eleanor Rose “Ellie” Rollén, on August 16. The Rolléns still live in New York City and write, “everyone is doing well, including Evie who has been embracing her new role as a Big Sister.”
Celebrate Your Reunion, May 15–18, 2026!
2016
Sebastian Rollén C’16 W’16 see Jessica Schneider Rollén C’15.
2018
Farah Otero-Amad C’18, a video producer and host at the Wall Street Journal, has been named to Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list for 2026 in the Media category. From the description: “She’s a trilingual journalist who has written, shot and edited stories on global issues—including the economic impact of Bad Bunny’s residency, the status of SNAP benefits, the 2024 presidential election and even a hip-hop school in Medellín (which won Best Documentary Short at New York CineFest).”
Michael J. Torcello C’18 has joined Democracy Forward, a nonprofit legal organization, as senior staff attorney. Recently, Michael argued for the plaintiffs in Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins, where Democracy Forward urged the court to enforce its order that the Trump administration provide urgently needed Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments. US District Court Judge John McConnell Jr. agreed with the plaintiffs and ordered the government to comply. As a result of the work of Michael and his coworkers at Democracy Forward, the Court ordered SNAP benefits to resume for over 40 million Americans.
2019
Ari M. Gordon Gr’19, director of Muslim–Jewish relations for the American Jewish Committee, is the author of a new book, Sacred Orientation in Late Antiquity and Early Islam: The Qibla as Ritual, Metaphor, and Identity Marker. He writes, “It is based on my dissertation at Penn and explores the manifold ways that Muslim, Jewish, and Christian orientation for worship in a particular sacred direction created a sense of collective belonging for those communities.”
Angela Simms Gr’19, assistant professor of sociology and urban studies at Barnard College-Columbia University, is the author of a new book, Fighting for a Foothold: How Government and Markets Undermine Black Middle-Class Suburbia. From the book’s press materials: “Dr. Simms draws on her background as a sociologist and former federal policy analyst to dig into the deeper inequalities that still persist between Black and white suburbs, like imbalances in the quality of schools, public spaces, and even drinking water.”
Anny Zhuo Nu’19 GNu’23 and Jonathan Chen C’19 welcomed baby girl Juni on December 11, 2025. As a midwife at Pennsylvania Hospital, Anny was able to help catch the baby.
2025
Maxwell Morganroth W’25 was named to Forbes’s 30 Under 30 list in the transportation and aerospace category. Maxwell is CEO of Rove, which helps Gen Z earn airline miles on everyday spending. From Forbes: “They partner with 14 major airline and hotel programs, which cover 140 individual airlines and 200,000 hotels, and tens of thousands of stores. The company has raised $3.5 million from backers including Y Combinator, Peak XV Partners, General Catalyst, Soma Capital and Pear VC.”
