Share Button

Nov|Dec 2016

“The audio book of my novel-with-songs, Blame It On Hoboken, has been released: a modern, math-fueled romantic comedy set in Frank Sinatra’s hometown.” –Sharon Glassman C’84

60

Joan Myerson Shrager Ed’60 writes, “For the past 10 years, I have been co-director of the Stained Glass Project: Windows That Open Doors, a volunteer-run after-school arts program that introduces underserved Philadelphia public high-school students to the discipline of making stained glass. In those 10 years, they have made 110 stained-glass windows that have been installed in a South African center for AIDS orphans, a New Orleans school rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, an Ojibwa native reservation in Minnesota, and Covenant House, a home for homeless youth in Philadelphia. The American Glass Guild bestowed its inaugural Inspiration Award on the project in 2014. For the past 10 years, I have also partnered with Dr. Lance J. Sussman, senior rabbi of Keneseth Israel Synagogue, in creating over 100 PowerPoints on Jewish history that have been presented to thousands locally and nationally.”

61

Ya’akov Aronson Ed’61, retired university librarian of Bar Ilan University in Israel, served on the organizing committee for the recent conference of the Association of Jewish Libraries. He also delivered a paper on Jews in colonial and antebellum South Carolina, which now appears in an expanded version in the proceedings of the conference. He notes that he is “the proud grandfather of 32 grandchildren and six great grandchildren, with four more great grandchildren on the way.”

63

James E. Deshur W’63 writes that he has retired as CEO and corporate counsel for a real estate development firm in Milwaukee. He currently divides his time between winters in Phoenix and summers in Wisconsin, while recovering from a stem-cell transplant for multiple myeloma. One son, Mark Deshur C’96, practices anesthesia in Chicago and his other son, Brian Deshur C’99, practices law, also in Chicago.

Bruce Macbain G’63 Gr’75 writes, “The Varangian: Book Three of Odd Tangle-Hair’s Saga is the latest novel (coming out in November) in my series set in the Viking Age. Our hero travels to Constantinople, where he is drawn into truly ‘byzantine’ intrigue. War, revolution, a sinister eunuch, a dotty empress who manufactures perfume in the palace basement—Odd narrates it all in his typically ironic fashion.”

66

Bruce Hoffman W’66 writes, “The Class of 1966 continued its 50th Reunion activities with a lunch in New York in early August. Seven local TEP brothers greeted Mike Addis C’66, visiting from Tucson, who we had not seen in 50 years! We all spent a lot of time covering ‘Then’ (our days at Penn) and ‘Now’ (mostly grandchildren). Steve Marcus W’66 heads up a healthcare-consulting firm; Dave Fortunoff W’66 continues to do his entrepreneurial thing; Richie Stern C’66, practices medicine, skiing—and dressing like it is still 1966; Norris Wolff W’66 is also an active skier and lawyer; Jay Samoff C’66, a retired lawyer, is now a ski instructor; Myron Kowal W’66 is in the printing business, when he is not playing golf; and I run a small business, when I am not on Long Island Sound. The guest of honor, Mike Addis, a retired criminal lawyer, gave up sailing the Gulf of Mexico to drive his 1966 Corvette.”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
67

Lynn Tredinnick Bush CW’67 married John Dixon Bartle W’67 on Aug. 27 in Doylestown, Pa. They met for the first time at their 40th Reunion. She is executive director of the Bucks County Planning Commission and chief clerk for the county (ltbush@verizon.net). He is rector of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Richfield Springs, N.Y., and justice of the Richfield Springs Village Court, after recently retiring as justice of the Richfield Town Court (jdixonbartle@gmail.com).

Dr. June H. Cella GNu’67, Smyrna, Del., wrote in July, “Retired from homecare since 1994, I am currently teaching Nine Great Religions, a two-semester course at the University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. And, yes, I am still wearing ‘those’ heels!”

Martin Redish C’67, the Louis and Harriet Ancel Professor of Law and Public Policy at Northwestern University, was honored in October at a conference there, “Commercial Speech and the First Amendment: Past, Present and Future.” It commemorates the 45th anniversary of his first scholarly article, “The First Amendment in the Marketplace: Commercial Speech and the Values of Free Expression” (1971), often seen as the source of the Supreme Court’s modern commercial-speech doctrine.

Dr. Randall Shumaker EE’67 GEE’69 GrE’76 and Claire Giffin Shumaker Nu’67 “celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in April in San Diego with our four sons, four grandsons, and one granddaughter. The celebration included our three wonderful daughters-in-law and one wonderful soon-to-be fiancé. We enjoyed sand volleyball, kayaking, and surfing from our rental house on Mission Bay.”

68

Dr. Neal Kassell C’68 M’72 GM’79 is professor and co-chair of neurosurgery at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and the founding chair of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. Earlier this year, he was appointed to a blue-ribbon panel of scientific experts and patient advocates that will inform the scientific direction and goals of Vice President Joe Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative, based at the National Cancer Institute (NIH).

Bobbi Penneys Susselman Laufer CW’68 G’69 writes, “I have been selling exotic travel since 1982 and will be escorting a tiny group to Rwanda and Uganda next July. I can be reached at bobbilaufer@yahoo.com or (858) 459-2727.”

69

Joseph Cooper W’69 L’72 writes that he continues to publish Books columns at The Huffington Post. And his stories appear at PsychologyToday.com as “Rumblings from the lane next to the off ramp.” He has been appointed executor of the estate of New Yorker cartoonist Frank Modell. “For news of auctions of artwork, contact me at estateoffranklynbmodell@gmail.com.”

Jeffrey David Jubelirer W’69, jeffreydjubelirer@gmail.com, writes, “I have six books in the Penn Library, and more on the way. I also have five books for sale on the alumni shelf at the Penn Bookstore at 36th & Walnut. They are Dear God and Perfect Moments; Tomorrow; Within Dignity We Grow; Politics and Poetry; and The Better Ways of Life.”

70

Leslie Bennetts CW’70 writes, “On Nov. 15, Little, Brown will publish my biography of Joan Rivers, Last Girl Before Freeway: The Life, Loves, Losses, and Liberation of Joan Rivers. My previous book, The Feminine Mistake [2007], was a national bestseller that examined the cost of economic dependency for women who leave the work force to become stay-at-home mothers.” Leslie is a longtime Vanity Fair writer and former New York Times reporter.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
72

Lee Tabas C’72 ME’72 writes that he lives and works in Haverford, Pa., and “continues to provide funding for entrepreneurs who want to acquire or expand businesses through my company, Tabasfunding. My son Samuel Bradford Tabas C’99 has taken a new position as a professor of English and literature at ENSTA Bretagne, an engineering school and research center in Brest, France. My daughter Elizabeth Tabas Carson C’01 continues to practice law at Pepper Hamilton in Philadelphia. Last summer, she and her husband, Todd (who works at the Wharton School), and their three children toured Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.”

73

Seth D. Bergmann GEE’73 writes, “I competed in two events at the USATF National Masters Outdoor Track and Field Championships last July in Grand Rapids, Mich. I finished third in the 5,000 meter run (21:41) and second in the 10,000 meter run (44:51) in the male 65-69 age group. I am entering my 37th year as a member of the faculty at Rowan University, in the computer-science department. My wife, Sue, and I now have four grandchildren.”

Gayle Feldman CW’73, who now lives in New York, writes that she was chosen as one of 30 American scholars to be awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Public Scholar fellowship for 2016-17. The grant will help fund the completion of her biography of publisher Bennett Cerf, which is under contract to Random House, the company he co-founded in 1927.

74

Amy Hafter Gross W’74 and Stephen Gross W’77 are thrilled to announce the marriage of their daughter, Willow Gross C’06, to Daniel Dalton in New York on Sept. 16. “Numerous Penn and Penn Band alumni attended and serenaded them with a rousing chorus of ‘Drink a Highball.’” Amy and Stephen are also extremely delighted that their son, Daniel, and daughter-in-law, Teri, are expecting their first child in January.

75

Simon Kimmelman C’75 in July was appointed senior vice president and general counsel for Woods Resources in Langhorne, Pa.; it is the nonprofit parent company of five local human-service organizations. Most recently, he was managing partner of the Princeton office of the Sills Cummis & Gross law firm, where he was chair of its creditors-rights and bankruptcy reorganization practice group.

William L. Phillips L’75 WG’75 and Chelsea A. Baylor GPU’86 married in 2014. They first met 48 years earlier as freshmen at the University of Chicago. Bill has a solo law practice in Chicago’s Loop. Chelsea is retired from “an eclectic career in political-campaign management, city government, and polysomnography (sleep studies), among others.”

76

Dr. Robert Fleisher GD’76 co-wrote The Sexless Marriage Fix, which was published recently by Basic Health Publications (Turner Publishing).

Robert C. Gibson C’76 is proud to announce that his daughter Alexandra J. Gibson C’08 married Matthew A. Marcucci C’09. The Sept. 9 ceremony and reception was held at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, N.Y.; attending were fellow Quakers, includingLauren S. Gibson C’11, Andrew Meiser W’08, Alexander Distell C’08, Michael Carpenter EAS’09 W’09, Laura Carey C’09, GAr’14, and Alexander Fairman C’09.

Stephen Hochheiser C’76 writes, “I recently retired from a career in academic publishing. I was hired by Encore Books after graduation, where I worked for 10 years, including a stint managing their store at Penn and eventually becoming director of marketing as the company grew from two stores in Center City to 30 from North Jersey to Delaware. After one year at CBS in their college-publishing division, I was recruited by Wadsworth Publishing in the Bay Area, which began my 30-year career there, culminating in my serving as vice president of public affairs for the renamed Cengage Learning. I have relocated to Northfield, Minn., with my husband, Joe Fierst. I currently serve as a volunteer with the Penn Alumni Interview Program.”

Lawrence Squeri Gr’76, professor emeritus of history at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, wrote Waiting for Contact: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, which was published in September by the University Press of Florida. It was briefly covered in The New York Times book-review section late that month.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
77

Joseph A. Fitzpatrick Jr. C’77 is a founding member and shareholder of the law firm of Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C., in Center Valley, Pa., who specializes in real-estate project development and land use. In July he was elected to the board of Team Pennsylvania Foundation, “a non-partisan non-profit formed to bring together the leaders of the government and private sector.”
Stephen Gross W’77 see Amy Hafter Gross W’74.
Richard G. Williams C’77, Stratford, Conn., in March received “the Carnegie Medal in recognition of civilian heroism, [which] is given to those who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.” In June 2014, he and a cousin saved the lives of two commercial fishermen on a burning clam boat, a mile off shore in Long Island Sound. [See Alumni Notes, July-August 2015.]

78

Bob Lippman C’78, managing attorney of Lippman O’Connor in Buffalo, N.Y., and regional managing attorney for the Selective Insurance Company of America, has been included in the “Legal Elite of Western New York” by Buffalo Business First and the Buffalo Law Journal.

79

Dennis Barone G’79 Gr’84, professor of English and American studies at the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford, Conn., wrote Beyond Memory: Italian Protestants in Italy and America, which was published recently by SUNY Press.

Dr. Maryanne McGuckin GEd’79 GrEd’81 is president and CEO of McGuckin Methods International, a patient-safety organization. A Penn faculty and staff member for many years, she was most recently a senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and at the Institute of Aging. In October, she received a Philadelphia Pinnacle Award from the Millay Club, an alumni association of six Catholic high schools in the Philadelphia area. She is the mother of John L. Guinan C’05 and Maryellen E. Guinan C’05.

80

Robert A. LaBerge C’80, an attorney in the Syracuse office of the law firm of Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC, has been included in 2016 Upstate New York Super Lawyers, in the field of employment and labor, and in The Best Lawyers in America 2017.

Dr. Anthony Stanowski C’80 in June was appointed president and CEO of the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education in Rockville, Md. Previously, he was a vice president of Applied Medical Software, Inc., in Collingswood, N.J. He recently co-wrote We Have a Match: My Journey through America’s Transplant System (2015).

81

Bruce Buff W’81, brucebuff.com, writes, “My debut thriller, The Soul of the Matter, the first of three, was published in September by Howard Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster). While I look to first and foremost entertain readers, the book incorporates thoughts on what science and reason can tell us about the meaning of life, [and] I believe shed some new light on human origin.”

James H. Gilmore W’81 wrote in late August, “My latest book, Look: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Observational Skills, was just released by the Greenleaf Book Group. It introduces ‘Six Looking Glasses,’ aimed at infusing innovation efforts with better observation insights, and examines looking as a learnable skill. It’s my third book, but the first written on my own; the two previous books, The Experience Economy and Authenticity (both Harvard Business School Press) were co-written.”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
82

Robert Carley C’82, Darien, Conn., has a show, Hail to the Chief! Caricatures of Presidents From George Washington to Today’s 2016 Candidates, this month at the state Capitol in Hartford.

Zenos Frudakis FA’82 GFA’83, www.zenosfrudakis.com , a sculptor, created an eight-foot bronze statue of Frederick L. Olmsted, the prominent 19th-century landscape architect, that was unveiled at the North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, N.C., last April.

Laurie B. Kazenoff C’82 writes, “I am pleased to announce that I have joined, as tax partner, the law firm of Moritt, Hock & Hamroff LLP in Garden City, N.Y., and Manhattan. I live in Lloyd Harbor with my husband, Dr. Robert Kazenoff, and we have three sons Alex (26), Ben (24), and Dan (19).”

83

Marla Rossman Milgram C’83, Marlam@beyond.com , is co-founder, vice president, and general counsel of Beyond.com, Inc., an Internet provider of career-related services and advertising, which was recently selected as one of the “Best Places to Work in 2016” by The Philadelphia Business Journal. Marla was recently elected chair of the Volunteer Corps of the Pennsylvania Ballet. She lives in Bryn Mawr, Pa., with her husband, Rich, and their daughter Caroline; their oldest daughter, Lauren, started this year at University of Miami. “I would love to hear from old Penn friends.”

84

Lawrence E. Ashery EE’84, an attorney with the Philadelphia law firm of Caesar Rivise PC, was included in The Best Lawyers in America 2017 for patent law.

David Evangelista W’84 is a principal at MSPC Certified Public Accountants and Advisors, P.C., with offices in New York and New Jersey. The founding president of the Rockland County chapter of the New York State Society of CPAs, he was elected president of the society’s Foundation for Accounting Education in June. He lives in Stony Point, N.Y., with his wife, Margret Jonsson Evangelista C’86, an attorney in private practice, and their two children.

Sharon Glassman C’84 writes, “Blackstone Audio has released the audio book of my novel-with-songs, Blame It On Hoboken. This modern, math-fueled romantic comedy set in Frank Sinatra’s hometown features cameo voice actors including David Ulin C’84. My Lazy Person’s Book Club project lets busy listeners enjoy mood-boosting novels as audio books, podcasts, and live shows in homes, offices, stores, schools, and more (sharonglassmanlive.com).

Regina McCabe Grazel GNu’84 is employed by the New Jersey chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics as program director of the critical-congenital-heart-defects screening program of the state’s Department of Health. She is serving on the board of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses this year as the immediate past president.

86

Chelsea A. Baylor GPU’86 see William L. Phillips L’75 WG’75.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
87

Bill Gabovitch L’87 is now general counsel of Primark US, a “European fast-fashion retailer that has come to America. We operate five stores, at Downtown Crossing in Boston, King of Prussia and Willow Grove in Pennsylvania, and Danbury (Conn.), and Freehold (N.J.), with five more on the way.” Bill was previously VP and associate general counsel of Staples, Inc.; he lives with his wife, Lauren, in Newton, Mass., and they have two adult daughters.

88

Dr. Robert Kirkbride C’88 GAr’90 is now dean of the Parsons School of Constructed Environments, where he is associate professor of architecture and product design; he recently received an NYU University Distinguished Teaching Award. “I have been director of studio patafisico for 25 years, and am now also spokesperson and a founding trustee for PreservationWorks, a non-profit for the adaptive reuse of Kirkbride Plan hospitals for the insane. At Parsons/The New School’s Kellen Design Archives, I also recently established the Giuseppe Zambonini Archive, a critical resource for architectural-education and design-build practice in New York in the 1970s and 80s. My work may be seen at robertkirkbride.com.”

89

Andrew Hoberek C’89, Columbia, Mo., a professor of English at the University of Missouri, co-edited Postmodern/Postwar—And After: Rethinking American Literature, which was published in July by the University of Iowa Press.
Keith Wasserstrom W’89 L’92 see Jessica Coble Wasserstrom EAS’90 W’90.

90

Katie Berryhill C’90 writes, “In July, I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation, so I now have an EdD from the University of Wyoming, focusing on astronomy education. I’m continuing as an assistant professor in space studies at American Public University System, as well as teaching astronomy as an adjunct professor at Los Medanos and Solano Community colleges in northern California. My husband, Jon, and I are rather surprised that our kids are now 16 (Brian) and 12 (Deanna).”

Dr. Douglas Thamm C’90 V’95 is the Barbara Cox Anthony Professor of Oncology and director of clinical research at the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University. “I divide my time between instruction of students, clinical and laboratory research on novel therapeutics for animal and human cancer, and medical oncology care of animals with cancer. I am also head of clinical development for VetDC, a veterinary biopharmaceutical company developing anticancer therapies for animals.” He lives in Ft. Collins with his wife, Grace Kim, and two sons, Evan (14) and Bennett (nine).

Jessica Coble Wasserstrom EAS’90 W’90 and Keith Wasserstrom W’89 L’92 write that their daughter, Megan Wasserstrom, married Lee Schwartz on Sept. 12 in Westbury, N.Y. Keith’s former roommates, David Raphael W’89 and Steven Schultz C’89, joined in the celebration.

93

James Garver C’93, an attorney with Edgar Snyder & Associates, a plaintiff’s personal-injury law firm in Pittsburgh, has been included in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Lisa Grabelle C’93 L’96 writes, “We are still adding names to our growing 25th Reunion Planning Committee. Everyone is welcome to join in the fun! If you are interested, email me at lisagrabelle@yahoo.com. Follow our 93-week countdown to the Big Event: #93tothe25th, on FranklyPenn.com, on Twitter @Penn1993, and Instagram @Penn_1993. Our 25th Reunion is May 11-13, 2018.”

Peter J. Tantala EAS’93 has been appointed to the environmental advisory council of Middletown, Bucks County, Pa. He is a partner in a family-owned engineering and architecture firm.

94

Airea D. Matthews C’94 in September received a 2016 Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer’s Award, which are given to “women writers who demonstrate excellence and promise in the early stages of their careers.” Her first collection of poems, simulacra, received the 2016 Yale Series of Younger Poets Award.

95

Dr. Jim Downs C’95 is an associate professor of history and the interim director of the American-studies program at Connecticut College. He wroteStand By Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation, which was published in March by Basic Books. He had earlier written Sick From Freedom: African-American Illness and Suffering During the Civil War and Reconstruction (Oxford University Press, 2012).

Dr. Mark Fabrizi GEd’95 is an assistant professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic. He edited Fantasy Literature: Challenging Genres, which was published recently by Sense Publishers. “Often derided as superficial and escapist, fantasy literature is one of the most popular and enduring genres of fiction worldwide. It is also, perhaps surprisingly, thought-provoking, structurally complex, and relevant to contemporary societies. [This book] is informed by the tenets of critical pedagogy and is focused on re-envisioning fantasy literature through the lens of social justice and empowerment.”

96

Edward E. Gross C’96 married Ruth Kelley on July 9 at the Hill-Physick House, the historic house in Society Hill, Philadelphia; they now live nearby.

Dr. Joseph Sciorra Gr’96 is director of academic and cultural programs at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute at Queens College, CUNY. He co-edited Neapolitan Postcard: The Canzone Napoletana as Transnational Subject, which was published recently by Rowman & Littlefield.

Alan Sepinwall C’96 writes, “I released my latest book, TV (The Book): Two Experts Pick The Greatest American Shows Of All Time, in September. It debuted on The New York Times bestseller list.”

98

Adam Plotkin C’98 EAS’98 W’98 married Adam Abrahams on the grand terrace of St Pancras International in London on March 20. Alumni attending were Corey Lambert W’98, Jeffrey Snyder W’99, Douglas Stambaugh W’98, David Goldberger W’00, Kenneth Henderson W’98, Michael Katz C’97, Kenneth Sena W’98, Stacy Bookman C’98 W’98, and Madeline Wilcox G’08 Gr’14.

Jorge Reynardus L’98 is the deputy general counsel of Amadeus North America, Inc. He recently published Our Naked Souls: Experiencing Uninhibited Intimacy, which is available on Amazon.

99

R. Carter Caldwell C’99 writes, “I have been with a great venture-capital firm outside Philadelphia, Cross Atlantic Capital Partners, for the last 10 years. As that firm is winding down this year, I am stepping out to launch the private-equity arm of Beltraith Capital, a money manager outside Philadelphia with $2.37 billion in assets under management. All of the current assets are invested in public and fixed-income securities, so this venture fund I’m working to raise will be the first in what will hopefully become a series of private equity funds for Beltraith.”

Demetrios Hadgis C’99 and his wife, Nancy, are thrilled to announce the birth of their son, Michael Hadgis, on Aug. 10 at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, N.J. “Michael looks forward to matriculating at the Penn Class of 2038, and to row heavyweight crew, despite weighing only 6 lbs. 12 oz. at birth.”

Dan McKone WG’99 is a managing director and partner at L.E.K. Consulting in Boston. He co-wrote Edge Strategy: A New Mindset for Profitable Growth, which was published recently by Harvard Business Review Press.

Dr. Naveen Seth C’99 writes, “My wife, Lauren, and I are delighted to announce the birth of our first child, Arabella Iyla, on Aug. 16. We currently live in Syracuse, N.Y., where I work as an emergency physician at Crouse Hospital, and Lauren works as an emergency-department physician assistant there.”

Samuel Bradford Tabas C’99, bradtabas@hotmail.com , has taken a new position as a professor of English and literature at ENSTA Bretagne, an engineering school and research center in Brest, France.

00

Dr. Andrew Hohns W’00 LPS’05 GrW’12 is a managing director at Mariner Investment Group in Philadelphia, where he is the lead portfolio manager for funds for bank-capital optimization and infrastructure debt. Earlier this year, he was appointed to the board of the US Fund for UNICEF. He is an adjunct assistant professor of management at NYU’s Stern School of Business.

Sarah Trautz C’00 has joined Verrill Dana, LLP, as counsel in the healthcare practice group in its Boston office. Previously, she was a member of the healthcare group at Ropes & Gray LLP and worked in research compliance at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

01

Ryan Little C’01 writes, “I have joined the faculty and staff at the US Military Academy at West Point. A major in the US Army JAG Corps, I previously led one of the military’s largest prosecution offices and prosecuted a high profile war-crimes case from the war in Afghanistan. Highlights of my career so far include serving as a paratrooper with the 82d Airborne Division and deploying to Mosul, Iraq, with the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment.”

Elizabeth Tabas Carson C’01, erti979@hotmail.com , continues to practice law at Pepper Hamilton in Philadelphia. Last summer, she and her husband, Todd (who works at the Wharton School), and their three children toured Colorado, Utah, and Nevada.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
02

R. Whit Matthews C’02 recently joined Aberdeen Asset Management as a senior investment manager focused on the firm’s global private-equity investment activities. He and his wife, Anne Matthews C’02, live in Hingham, Mass., with their two kids, Alistair (six) and Ainsley (three).

Heather Schwartz Shaffer C’02 and her husband, Mark, are thrilled to announce the Dec. 8 birth of their son, Oliver Samuel. They live in New York, where she is counsel in the litigation department of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and he is the Americas head of compliance policies for Deutsche Bank.

03

Kevin Brown C’03 and Kristen Colello Brown C’04 are excited to announce the birth of their son, Alexander Michael Brown, on Aug. 28. He joins big sister Samantha (three) in Ridgefield, Conn. Kevin is an attorney at Day Pitney LLP in Stamford and Kristen is an English teacher at New Canaan High School.

Adam Singer L’03 is pleased to announce the formation of the Law Office of Adam G. Singer, PLLC, focusing on commercial and consumer litigation, especially credit-report errors and consumer-class actions (adamsingerlaw.com).

Risa Small Wolf C’03 and her husband, Josh, are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter Leora Gittel on Sept 6. She joins big sister Shira (four) and big brother Isaac (three). They live in Hollywood, Fla., where Risa is a pediatric endocrinologist at Broward Health and Josh is a colorectal surgeon at Cleveland Clinic Florida.

04

Kristen Colello Brown C’04 see Kevin Brown C’03.

Ross Clark C’04 is the vice president and general manager of Sweet, a “partnership between Hearst Magazines and Snapchat, and the first media brand born on and built for Snapchat’s Discover platform. It is published daily for a globally connected millennial audience passionate about style, beauty, travel, food, culture, entertainment, and music.” Previously, he was senior director of business development and strategy at Condé Nast Entertainment.

Roman T. Galas W’04 married Teresa A. Urich on Sat., June 18, at Old St. Joseph’s Church in Philadelphia, with a reception at the National Constitution Center. Quakers Dylan D’Ascendis C’03 and Christopher Kupchik W’04 were groomsmen. Other alumni attending werePaula Straka FA’76, Travis Belden W’03, Matthew Dukes W’03 andLauren Sercander C’03, Matthew Michaleski C’03, Christopher Pennington C’03 andKelly Slattery Pennington C’03 V’10, Fredrick Plaza C’03 and Katie Burg Plaza Nu’95 GNu’98, John Westhoff C’03, Gregory Valli W’04, Nicholas Murphy L’07, and Andrew Kupchik L’10. “We met on Memorial Day weekend in 2014 at the Whitebrier happy hour in Avalon, N.J., and have been inseparable ever since. We live in Philadelphia, where I am a partner at the law firm of Ansa Assuncao LLP, and Teresa is a senior project manager at Spark Therapeutics, Inc.”

James M. Lee W’04 see Betty Yuen Tung Liao W’14.

06
Stephanie Feldman C’06 married Joshua Allen-Dicker on Sat., Aug. 27 in Wellesley, Mass. Her College friends Emily Newsom C’06, Janine Stichter Hoffman C’06, Kathryn Alex C’06, Thomas Ellis C’05 WG’11, Leslie Emmons Burthey C’06, Tracy Webber C’07, Jaclyn Schottenstein C’06, Jaime Raisch C’06, and Faye Allard G’03 Gr’08 attended. Stephanie is a resident physician in internal medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and will be pursuing a career in cardiology. Josh is an attending physician in hospital medicine, also at Beth Israel Deaconess. They met at a mutual friend’s wedding in 2011.

Willow Gross C’06 married Daniel Dalton in New York on Sept. 16. “Numerous Penn and Penn Band alumni attended and serenaded them with a rousing chorus of ‘Drink a Highball.’” She is the daughter of Amy Hafter Gross W’74 and Stephen Gross W’77.

Becca Makover C’06 and Matthew Makover L’10 are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Ivy Maya Makover, on June 19 at 3:31pm; she weighed 5lbs. 15oz., and was 18 inches long. “She was the best Father’s Day gift Matthew could have asked for! We live in New York, where Becca is a management consultant and Matthew is an attorney.”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
07

Lindsey Rosin C’07 writes, “My first novel, Cherry, was published in August by Simon Pulse (Simon & Schuster’s Young Adult imprint). It is the story of four teenage girlfriends who make a pact to lose their virginity before high-school graduation. It’s sort of like a female American Pie, but with more feelings and frozen yogurt. Fellow YA author Aaron Karo W’01 described it as ‘a page-turning, laugh-inducing rollercoaster ride.’ I was back on campus briefly in the summer of 2015, and wrote the first draft of one of my favorite chapters while sitting upstairs in the coffee shop at the Penn Bookstore on Walnut. I wouldn’t be the writer (or person) I am today without the time I spent at Penn, and specifically in the Kelly Writer’s House, and I am excited to get to share this book with the Penn community.”

08

Alexandra J. Gibson C’08 married Matthew A. Marcucci C’09 on Sept. 9; the ceremony and reception were held at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, N.Y.; attending were fellow Quakers, including her father, Robert C. Gibson C’76, andLauren S. Gibson C’11, Andrew Meiser W’08, Alexander Distell C’08, Michael Carpenter EAS’09 W’09, Laura Carey C’09 GAr’14, and Alexander Fairman C’09.

Heather Levine-Levy C’08 in May joined the New York law firm of Wilson Elser as an associate specializing in estate planning and administration. Previously, she was with Jankoff & Gabe P.C. there.

09

Matthew A. Marcucci C’09 see Alexandra J. Gibson C’08.

10

Matthew Makover L’10 see Becca Makover C’06.

Brittany Stark C’10 is a associate in the asset-based lending department in investment banking at J.P. Morgan Chase in New York.

11

Maria Navarro C’11 married Daniel dos Santos W’11 on July 16 in a Nuptial Mass at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Rockville, Md., “with the festivities continuing at a reception at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt. Alongside family and friends from across the country and the world, we celebrated with our wedding party, which included Samantha Bondaryk Nu’12, Elise Hellman C’10, Akash Kumar W’11, Marco Varela W’11 GEng’14, andMichael Weintraub C’11 W’11, and with Christina Anderson C’11, Sienna Barbeau Nu’12, Alexander Batoff L’13, Rachel Baye C’11, Jonathan de Jong C’11, Maria Harten EAS’11 GEng’12, Angela Mu EAS’12, Mohammed Shahin C’11, Liane Toohey C’11, and Antony Vo EAS’11. We currently live in Tarrytown, N.Y. Daniel works as a pension actuary at Buck Consultants, LLC, and Maria will be entering her second year of medical school at New York Medical College.”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 12-15, 2017
12

Dasha Gorlov C’12 in August joined the Pittsburgh law firm of Pietragallo, Gordon, Alfano, Bosick & Raspanti, LLP, as an associate in its commercial-litigation practice group. Prior to joining the firm, she completed an internship with the City Attorney’s Office in Ithaca, N.Y.; she graduated from the Cornell University law school.

Ryan Williams W’12 co-founded Jopwell in Jan. 2015; it is a Manhattan-based “digital diversity-recruitment platform connecting Black, Latino-Hispanic, and Native American professionals and students with top companies for jobs and internships.” Last May, he was included in Inc. magazine’s list of “30 Under 30 Young CEOs.”

14

Betty Yuen Tung Liao W’14 married James M. Lee W’04 on Sept. 3 at Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, N.Y. Celebrating were members of the bridal party: Stephanie Chung W’12, Jessica Ng C’13, Ann Oh W’13, Frank Lee W’95, Denny Hou W’04, Yiling (Steve) Guo C’04, W’04, Philip Kwan W’04, and Justin Chang W’04. They were joined by many friends and family including James’s sister-in-law Andrea Yuen-Chun Chen C’94 and cousins Tina Yang W’97, Bernice Huang W’00, and Bertina Huang W’02. Betty and James met in Hong Kong, but both work and live in New York; she is digital product manager for Casper, a tech startup, and he is vice president for institutional equity sales at BNP Paribas.

15

Breanna Moore C’15 writes, “After studying abroad in Ghana twice, I was compelled to create a fashion line, LaBré, to increase economic growth in Ghana by providing Ghanaian artisans and their products with access and exposure to the international market. We primarily employ women, a population often the most disenfranchised. We are committed to preserving unique, traditional African textiles, batik fabric, and kente cloth, and promoting heritage. We deliver a unique, stylish collection of African-inspired apparel, and all items are made in Ghana by local designers, seamstresses, and tailors; visit the website at www.shoplabre.com.”

16

Jesse Braxton GEd’16 in July received a fellowship from the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation and has begun his first year of teaching at the Workshop School in Philadelphia.

Maryanne Hayde GEd’16, Phoenixville, Pa., has been a health volunteer with the Peace Corps in Botswana since July; she teaches life skills and healthy behaviors with school students.

Erika Mitkus GEd’16 in July received a fellowship from the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation and has begun her first year of teaching at the Sanford School in Hockessin, Del.u

School Abbreviations

Share Button

    Related Posts

    Alumni Notes
    Alumni Notes
    Alumni Notes

    Leave a Reply