Jan|Feb 2018
“I wish everyone a year of much success and just the right amount of productive, invigorating failures.” —Pamela Grebow Ehrenberg C’94
1950
Frawley Becker C’50 lived in Paris for 17 years after graduating from Penn. He writes, “In 1959, I established the first African American theatre company within the US military (I am white) at Headquarters EUCOM, a military base just outside Paris. In 1963, I produced the first Edward Albee plays professionally in France. Princess Grace of Monaco and the British Consul attended, along with many Paris literary persons and artists. While in Paris, I also worked as a bilingual film dialogue coach, teaching, among others, Audrey Hepburn, Peter O’Toole, Omar Sharif, Robert Ryan, Jacqueline Bisset, Rex Harrison, and other major French stars. Much of this is in my book, And the Stars Spoke Back, published in 2004 by Scarecrow Press. Back in the US, I was the French interpreter for gymnastics during the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and I worked as a film location manager on Footloose, Steel Magnolias, Jerry Maguire, and other films from 1984 to 2002.”
1954
David “Dave” Waters W’54 writes, “It was great fun—as well as nostalgic—to read in the Nov|Dec issue about my Penn friends and fellow Friars Dick Searles W’54,Norm Wohlken C’54, and Joel Popkin W’54 Gr’65 and their wives getting together for dinner in Portland this past summer. Since national reports suggest that less than 40 percent of our age cohort has avoided being listed in obituaries, it was gratifying to read that these classmates are making uplifting news and that Norm—like me—is still working! Penn continues to soar with the men and women of ’54!”
1959
Joan DeNezzo Ottolenghi G’59 see Abramo Ottolenghi Gr’60.
Robert M. Skaler Ar’59 , a forensic architect, writes, “I have been collecting vintage postcards of Philadelphia for almost 50 years and this year donated my extensive postcard collection to the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. I have used these images to lecture and write four Arcadia Publishing books on Philadelphia as it looked at the turn of the century. Postcards are great historical documentation instruments, often the only photo images of old Philadelphia and its suburbs. The Athenaeum has made a photo exhibition of rare real photo views of the city as it looked 100 years ago from the Robert M. Skaler Collection. These postcard images can also be seen on their website. If you are looking for my collection of views of old University City and Spruce Hill, it is now in the University of Pennsylvania’s Archives, which I hope will aid local area homeowners with their restoration efforts.”
1960
David Marion W’60 L’63 , senior counsel at White and Williams LLP, has received the James Wilson Award from Penn Law. This is the highest honor presented to a Penn Law alumnus in honor of a lifetime of service to the profession.
Abramo Ottolenghi Gr’60 and Joan DeNezzo Ottolenghi G’59 write, “With the title Spanish Attitudes Towards Judaism: Strains of Anti-Semitism from the Inquisition to Franco and the Holocaust , McFarland and Company published our English translation from the Spanish of De la Inquisición Española a Franco y el Holocausto-Una controversia historiográfica by Adolfo Kuznitzky. A semi-scholarly book with notes and bibliography, it traces the evolution of Spanish thought regarding Judaism, including the origins of the concept of ‘cleanliness of blood,’ which was later adapted into the German Nuremberg laws and the Italian racial laws of 1938.”
1961
Dr. Bernard G. Park D’61 writes, “I finally retired at age 80 and published my first book, Open Wide and Laugh, a journey through time from the placid years of the 1950s to the present, with dentistry as the vehicle and humor as the driver. Beginning with dental school and continuing with service in the US Army and through five-plus decades in the town of Colchester, Connecticut, it shows how humor became a very important factor in the dental practice, both as a way of reducing fear in the patient and also of humanizing the image of the dentist.” At Penn, Bernard was president of Alpha Omega fraternity.
1962
Beach Carre W’62 writes, “Sometimes the greatest achievements in life are not professional accolades. I believe that the broader you can make your perspective, the better you will feel about human beings, the earth, and life itself, and the greater will be your legacy to others. Broadening your perspective changes you. It really makes you a different person and, I think, a better one. Every experience that broadens your perspective will make you a little wiser and a little kinder. I completed 29 years as a captain in the Navy Supply Corps and was awarded two Legion of Merit medals, among many other in my career. I have since traveled to more than 20 countries with the not-for-profit Road Scholar, just completing my 50th tour with them. I have found that enjoying my time on earth is more than work accomplishments. Life is a beautiful ride.”
John Hara Ar’62 received the Medal of Honor from the American Institute of Architects’ Hawaii State Council, in partnership with the Hawaii Architectural Foundation. This is the highest accolade the state council bestows. John is founder of John Hara & Associates, which has transformed buildings such as the Honolulu Museum of Art and Maui Arts & Cultural Center, and the University of Hawaii campuses.
1963
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Idaherma Williams GFA’63 won the Audubon Artists Silver Medal of Honor and $500 at the Audubon Artists’ 75th anniversary annual exhibition.
1964
Mike Groothuis W’64 writes, “Five fraternity brothers, TEPs (Tau Epsilon Phi), all ’64 grads, got together for dinner in early November at Docks in NYC. Larry Jaffe W’64, Marty Markowitz W’64, Jeffrey Weinsten W’64, Lee Brechner C’64, and I loved talking about our days at Penn.”
1965
Dr. Annie McCall Carter Nu’65 has written a new memoir, Head of the Class, about her life as a first-generation high school graduate, a nurse, and a nursing professor at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Community College of Philadelphia. She also spent three years as an officer in the US Army Nurse Corps. She writes, “The book has a great emphasis on education as a means of raising one’s standard of living and details how I inspired my three sisters (all of whom are nurses) and four brothers to follow me into higher education. It also relates the impact of such factors as socioeconomics, religion, and interpersonal relationships on multiple sclerosis and other neuromuscular diseases, all of which I endured for most of my life.” Along with her nursing career, Annie also became a licensed minister before retiring to Florida in 1990.
1966
James Widerman C’66 writes, “There is a bronze bust of one Mrs. Frances Houston in the ‘new’ medical library. Many years ago, I happened to be on campus and asked the librarian if he had any idea who she was. He didn’t. Around 1960, when high school graduation was in sight, my father, Arnold H. Widerman C’33 M’37, took me along Hamilton Walk to the Morgan Building, then the medical school library, to see his old haunts. The Richards building had not been built yet. He had been an undergraduate and then a medical school student from 1933 through 1941. Mrs. Houston told me the following story about him: My father worked three jobs in order to pay the tuition for medical school during the Depression, and there was no money left over for books or a microscope. Mrs. Houston became aware of this and located the texts he would need at the beginning of each of the four years. She lent him the books and then reported to the school that they had mysteriously disappeared. They miraculously would show up at the end of each school year, and she would return them to the shelf. My father graduated second in his med school class. I began my own four years at Penn in 1962. For the first three I was a bio major, so I had occasion to be in the Hamilton Walk vicinity. During those times, I would drop in on Mrs. Houston; she was still running the medical school library! It was gratifying that she remembered both my father and me. Of course, I have other Penn stories, but those will have to wait for another time. The Mrs. Houston story, though, remains one of my favorites.”
1968
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Michael “Pat” Sullivan C’68 has retired after 46 years as an assistant US attorney in Miami. He was hired in 1971 after interviewing with US attorney Robert Rust, who was appointed by then-President Richard Nixon. Pat and his wife, Barbara, plan to move to the Atlanta area to spend more time with their daughter.
1969
Dr. Richard Cohen C’69 , a psychiatrist in Philadelphia, and his daughter, Julia Cohen, won the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Father Daughter National Clay Court Championship in Florida in October. This is their third national title this year, and they as a team will be ranked number one at the end of this year by the USTA.
1970
William H. Stiebing Jr. Gr’70 is the coauthor with Susan Helft Gr’10 of the third edition of Ancient Near Eastern History and Culture. Susan is an adjunct lecturer at Rutgers University and Bryn Mawr College. William writes, “This book is a survey of the civilizations of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, Turkey, and Iran from prehistoric times to Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire. I was the sole author of the first two editions of this work, but for this edition I collaborated with Susan N. Helft. Professor Trevor Bryce of the University of Queensland, Australia, has declared that this third edition is a highly reliable work of scholarship that ‘will also have great appeal to the non-specialist reader in its down-to-earth language and its detective-like approach in addressing many of the unsolved problems of Near Eastern scholarship.’ I taught ancient history and archaeology for 38 years at the University of New Orleans (UNO). While teaching at UNO, I received the LSU Alumni Federation Distinguished Faculty Award in 1985, was named a UNO Seraphia D. Leyda Teaching Fellow in 2001, and garnered the UNO Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Research in 2003. I retired from UNO at the end of 2005 and now live in Hot Springs, Arkansas.”
Dr. Frederick J. Zorn GEd’70 writes, “I recently published an illustrated children’s book, Goldy and Friends and Their Amazing Adventure! Becoming the Best We Can Be , with CCB Publishing. It deals with the important and relevant topics of being kind, looking for the good in others, and realizing your potential. Since retiring as a teacher and principal in Philadelphia, I volunteer as a tutor for adult beginning readers and published ABR: You Can Read! , a practical tutoring tool. I also published Charlie Chameleon’s First Day at School, a children’s book dealing with bullying and peer pressure.”
1971
Andrew Reamer W’71 , a public policy research professor at George Washington University in Washington, DC, has written a chapter in A Centennial History of the United States International Trade Commission , titled “Before the US Tariff Commission: Congressional Efforts to Obtain Statistics and Analysis for Tariffsetting, 1789–1916.” He also recently published “Counting for Dollars 2020: The Role of the Decennial Census in the Geographic Distribution of Federal Funds.”
1973
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Seth Bergmann GEE’73 writes, “On November 5, I completed the Cooper-Norcross Run the Bridge 10K race in Camden, New Jersey, finishing in 43:44, good for second place among men in the 65–69 age group.”
Hon. Steven M. Jaeger C’73 writes, “I am happy to report that on June 19, I was appointed to the New York State Court of Claims by Governor Andrew Cuomo. I am currently presiding as an Acting Justice of the State Supreme Court in Nassau County, New York.”
Craig Littlepage W’73 retired as University of Virginia athletic director in the fall and was appointed chair of an Atlantic Coast Conference task force that will explore and offer solutions to problems in college basketball. He is a former Penn basketball coach and member of the famed 1970–71 team.
Bella Schnall CW’73 L’76 has been elected partner at Greenblatt, Pierce, Funt & Flores LLC. Bella is director of the firm’s Family Law Division. She is also a lecturer for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Pennsylvania Institute for Certified Accountants.
David Strip C’73 writes, “I have been elected to the Board of Directors of the Hopi Educational Endowment Fund (HEEF). As a charitable, nonprofit program of the Hopi Tribe, the HEEF was created and organized for the purpose of growing and safeguarding a perpetual source of funding to support Hopi students of all ages.”
1974
Hon. Dennis J. Curran C’74 G’74 , justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court, received the annual Justice Award from the Order of the Sons of Italy of America–Massachusetts chapter. Dennis writes, “When graduating from high school, I had received a scholarship from the Order of the Sons of Italy, along with Penn’s generous scholarship, to be able to attend the University.”
Linda Rabben CGS’74 writes, “Since the University of Washington Press published my eighth book , Sanctuary and Asylum: A Social and Political History, in September 2016, I’ve given more than 50 talks about migration to diverse audiences in the US and France. The Lyman Fund and Adelphi Friends Meeting in Maryland supported my research trip to France in October. I’ve also done field research on migration in the US, the UK, and the Netherlands.”
Peter Wolk C’74 received the 2017 Denison Ray Criminal Defender Award from the New York State Bar Association for his commitment to representing low-income and disadvantaged clients. Peter is a senior staff attorney and member of the Special Litigation Unit for the New York County Defender Services. For the past 25 years, he has taught at Cardozo Law School’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program.
1975
Brad Borkan C’75 G’79 has cowritten a new book, titled When Your Life Depends on It: Extreme Decision Making Lessons from the Antarctic . Brad writes, “It focuses on the harrowing, real, life-and-death decisions made by early Antarctic explorers like Robert Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen, and Douglas Mawson. The book offers lessons from their situations to help us make better personal and business decisions in our lives today.”
Dennis Dixon C’75 writes, “Although I have been semi-retired for a few years now, I have been keeping busy. I have an app up in the iTunes store—Where’s the Art?—dealing primarily with Hudson River School artists (it is free!). I have finished hiking the New England 4,000-footers. My wife, Wendy, and I were in New Zealand for a month last winter. And I did a bunch of hiking in the Wind River Range in Wyoming this past August. It is now less than three months until I have to sign up for Medicare!”
Barbara Werther CW’75 has been named the 2018 president of Construction Lawyers of America. Barbara is a partner in Troutman Sanders LLP’s Construction practice.
1976
Steven Elkinton GLA’76 married Miyo Moriuchi on September 3 at a Quaker ceremony in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill neighborhood. Steve retired in 2014 from a 36-year career with the National Park Service, serving for 25 of those years as program leader for the National Trails System, which turns 50 in 2018.
Audrey Kahane C’76 GEd’80 , an independent college counselor, writes, “I recently moved back to the DC area from Los Angeles. Since starting my college counseling practice in 2002, I have written more than 100 articles, which were published in newspapers in Southern California and New Jersey. Many of the articles are available on my website, audreykahane.com. I was also an instructor in the UCLA certificate program in college counseling for four years. I’ve helped hundreds of students with their college application process and am continuing to work with families both long distance and locally in Kensington, Maryland.”
Henry Kantor C’76 writes, “I retired in April as a state court trial judge after 22 years on the bench in Portland, Oregon. It didn’t last. I’m now working as special counsel to the attorney general in the Oregon Department of Justice and am involved with cases arising from disputes between the State of Oregon and the current federal administration. I loved being a lawyer before I loved being a judge, so career round three makes sense to me. Still living, happily married to Jill, and fishing in the Pacific Northwest—I don’t want to imagine being anywhere else.”
1979
Wes Michael C’79 writes, “A bunch of Penn grads from the class of ’79 and ’80 came to the Penn–Yale football game from across the country on October 21 to support the Quakers: Joe Ronson C’80 of New York; Joe Woods W’79 of Chicago; Rick Nelson W’79 of New York; Neil Lipperini C’79 of Haddonfield, New Jersey; Kurt Stueve W’79 of Dayton, Ohio; Alan Fegley C’80 W’80 GEd’83 of Delaware; and me, Wes Michael C’79 of Baltimore.”
Hon. Sheila Woods-Skipper C’79 has been elected to the board of the Forum of Executive Women (2017–18), a membership organization of more than 450 influential women representing diverse businesses in the Greater Philadelphia region. Sheila is president judge of the Court of Common Pleas for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania.
1980
George Croner L’80 , a retired shareholder and director of the Philadelphia law firm of Kohn, Swift & Graf, has continued his post-retirement role as a commentator on issues relating to electronic surveillance for foreign intelligence purposes. He writes, “My article ‘The Clock Is Ticking: Why Congress Needs to Renew America’s Most Important Intelligence Collection Program,’ has been published by the Foreign Policy Research Institute, along with several other analyses of pending legislation relating to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (all of which are available at FPRI.org). A condensed version of ‘The Clock Is Ticking’ also appears in the Fall quarterly issue of The Intelligencer: Journal of US Intelligence Studies.”
Bernadine Tinner Hawes G’80 was named vice chair of NIST’s National Advisory Board for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Program. She is the current chair of the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, which serves Philadelphia’s regional manufacturing sector.
1981
Charles Bryan Baron C’81 , counsel at McLaughlin & Stern in New York City, writes, “As a result of unrelenting pressure from politicians and citizens (including me), the City of New York has decided to remove a plaque honoring Henri Petain, a convicted war criminal who was the head of Nazi collaborationist Vichy France in 1940. Petain and his premier, Pierre Laval, sent 90,000 French Jews—including 15,000 children—to their deaths during the Vichy French regime, using French SNCF trains.”
1982
Sylvia Brown W’82 G’84 has published Grappling with Legacy: Rhode Island’s Brown Family and the American Philanthropic Impulse, a book about her family’s history of giving.
Judy Seldin-Cohen C’82 W’82 has coauthored Recharging Judaism: How Civic Engagement Is Good for Synagogues, Jews, and America with Rabbi Judith Schindler (CAR Press, 2018). Judy writes, “ Recharging Judaism is a timely guide for lay leaders, clergy, and temple boards launching or evolving their congregation’s social justice journey. This book—my sixth major civic initiative with Rabbi Judith Schindler—speaks to synagogues but in language that resonates with unaffiliated Jews and non-Jews who are also seeking ways to effect meaningful change in America today.”
Audrey J. Silverstein C’82 was unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania State Senate and commissioned by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf as a member of the Professional Standards and Practice Commission. The statewide commission improves the quality of education by establishing standards for the teaching profession and administering educator discipline. Audrey previously served as a deputy attorney general in Pennsylvania and as the public sector representative on the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship at the US Department of Labor.
1983
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Gary J. Jastrzab GCP’83 retired last summer from his position as planning director for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC), after 37 years of service. He writes, “In addition to authoring numerous policy studies and planning reports over the years, some of my major accomplishments included the adoption of a new zoning code for Philadelphia; guiding Philadelphia2035, the City’s first citywide comprehensive plan in almost 60 years; the creation of the PCPC Citizens Planning Institute to educate citizens and neighborhood organizations in planning-related matters; and establishing the City’s Civic Design Review Committee to provide urban design guidance to developers proposing new building projects. My wife, Wendy, and I are currently engaged in a variety of volunteer efforts and continue to reside near the Penn campus in University City.”
1984
Wendy Artin C’84 exhibited a collection of her watercolors at Curari Collections in Boston, titled Wendy Artin – Here Today – Athens, Rome, Paris, London, New York – Watercolor wallscapes and other recent work . She writes, “These new paintings are big and small, very washy yet also precise: travel pieces and time capsules. Colorful! Images of known icons and rusty stains and graffiti. They share much with my classical work and with the wall paintings that I did in the early 90s, but they’re new.” The full show is available on the gallery’s website.
1985
Dr. Stephen M. Cohen C’85 has coauthored two new books. Introduction to Experimental Electrochemistry, published by Gamry Instruments, is a laboratory textbook with an accompanying Teacher’s Edition for a one-semester, college-level electrochemistry course, and What’s in a Name? A Young Person’s Jewish Genealogy Workbook, from Hadassa Word Press, is an introductory book for teens to explore their Jewish genealogy. Stephen and his wife Dr. Naomi Basickes married in May.
Tremain Smith C’85 opened the doors of her art studio to the public in October as part of the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours. She showed encaustic paintings and small watercolors, and she gave encaustic demonstrations during the day. Tremain is a teaching artist-in-residence with a variety of organizations, including the Penn Alexander School and the Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership.
1987
Dr. Jeffrey Ganeles GD’87 has been appointed to the advisory board of Supply Clinic, an online marketplace for dental supplies. Jeffrey practices with the South Florida Center for Periodontics and Implant Dentistry in Boca Raton, Florida. He is also an adjunct associate professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine and holds an appointment at Boston University Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry.
1988
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Ira Israel C’88 has authored How to Survive Your Childhood Now that You’re an Adult: A Path to Authenticity and Awakening , published by New World Library. Ira is a psychotherapist with a private practice in Santa Monica, California. He also leads workshops at the Esalen Institute and throughout the United States.
1989
Patrick Steel C’89 was named CEO of Politico in May. Headquartered in Washington, DC, Politico is a news operation specializing in politics and policy. Patrick welcomes contact from fellow Quakers at psteel@politico.com.
1990
Dr. Luis J. Fujimoto D’90 GD’93 has been elected president of the American Association of Dental Boards Foundation in Chicago. Luis has a private practice in New York City.
1991
Dr. Maribeth Schreder LeBreton GNu’91 GNu’95 received the 2017 Advanced Practice Nurse of the Year award from Lancaster General Health/Penn Medicine on October 4.
Suzie Pileggi Pawelski C’91 LPS’08 writes, “I am excited to report that my book Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love that Lasts will be published on January 16, 2018, by Penguin Random House. I cowrote it with my husband James Pawelski, who is director of education and senior scholar at the Penn Positive Psychology Center, where he cofounded the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program, along with Marty Seligman. We are delighted that Marty wrote the foreword to our book. My 2010 Scientific American Mind feature, “The Happy Couple,” was the catalyst for the book. It is the first book applying positive psychology principles to create thriving romantic relationships. James and I will be doing a book signing at the Penn Bookstore on Friday, February 9, at 6:30 p.m. We will also be writing a blog for Psychology Today. Happy Together is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and other sites. Feel free to contact me at suziepileggi@alumni.upenn.edu .”
1992
Janice Greenberg Dubler C’92 has joined the Philadelphia office of Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart as a shareholder. An experienced litigator in both federal and state courts, Janice has defended individual, collective, and class action claims involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Janice is also the cochair of the Employment Law Subcommittee of the Burlington County Association and the cochair of the Labor and Employment Law Committee of the Camden County Bar Association.
Russell Frank Gr’92 writes, “My book, Among the Woo People: A Survival Guide for Living in a College Town, is now available from Penn State Press. I got my PhD at Penn in Folklore and Folklife. I’ve been teaching journalism at Penn State since 1998.”
Ruthlyn Greenfield-Webster Nu’92 writes, “I had the best three weeks ever this past spring! I have been competing again in track and field for the past 11 years and on April 28, I competed at Penn Relays with my Southwest Sprinters Track Club team, winning Silver medals in the W40 Masters 4×100-meter relay and the W40 Masters 4×400-meter relay (my first time competing again in a 4×400-meter relay since leaving Penn 25 years ago)! A week later on May 6, I was inducted into the University of Pennsylvania Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of Class X! The following weekend, I attended Alumni Weekend and celebrated my 25th class reunion, my birthday, and Mother’s Day all in the same weekend! Like I said, the best three weeks ever!”
1993
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Lisa Nass Grabelle C’93 L’96, Chrissy Hofbeck C’93, and Kiera Reilly C’93 write, “We’d like to thank all of our classmates who have been assisting us in finding ‘lost classmates,’ so that everyone will receive our 25th reunion invitation in the mail in February. If you haven’t already, join our active Facebook group, Penn Class of 1993; follow us on Twitter at @Penn1993; and follow us on Instagram at @Penn_1993. Make plans now to join us for the best weekend next year: May 11–14! Email us at upenn1993@gmail.com.”
Brian Jonas C’93 has been named associate principal at Graham Baba Architects in Seattle. Brian’s most recent work includes a flagship roastery and café for a leading international coffee company, and Center Table, a 650-seat and six-restaurant dining facility for the University of Washington.
1994
Dr. Kimberly D. Acquaviva C’94 SW’95 Gr‘00 was promoted to full professor with tenure at the George Washington University School of Nursing in June. Her book, LGBTQ-Inclusive Hospice and Palliative Care: A Practical Guide to Transforming Professional Practice , was published by Harrington Park Press and distributed by Columbia University Press in May. Kim writes, “I live with my wife, Kathy, 18-year-old son, Greyson, and three dogs in Washington, DC. You can also find me on Twitter at @kimacquaviva, where I was blocked by President Donald Trump W’68 for tweeting at him ‘Resign and get some help.’ This brought me much joy.”
Pamela Grebow Ehrenberg C’94 has published her fourth children’s book, Queen of the Hanukkah Dosas, by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in October. She writes, “I would also like to announce my rejections this year for a board book and a novel in verse; the setting-aside of a chapter book that wasn’t working; and the rejection by not one but two grant committees of my coauthored novel in two voices, which did reach the end of a completed draft this summer. I hope that others in the Penn community will also continue plugging away; and I wish everyone a year of much success and just the right amount of productive, invigorating failures. Feel free to reach out at www.pamelaehrenberg.com.”
1995
Dana Brakman Reiser C’95 has published a new book, Social Enterprise Law: Trust, Public Benefit, and Capital Markets, with Steven A. Dean. She writes, “The book’s overarching premise is that law can be an ally to the developing social enterprise sector. It combines deep analysis of the complex legal issues these entities face with innovative solutions to resolve them, all presented in a form equally accessible to scholars, students, attorneys, and other professionals engaged with social enterprise and impact investing.”
1996
Brad E. Coren C’96 , an attorney and president of the Rotary Club of Weston, Florida, was given a Shining Star Award from the Susan B. Anthony Recovery Center in Pembroke Pines, Florida, for the Rotary Club’s contributions to recovery at the center over the last decade.
Dr. Jessica M. Fishman ASC’96 Gr’01 M’06 has written a new book, Death Makes the News: How the Media Censor and Display the Dead, published by NYU Press. She writes, “This book uncovers the surprising editorial and political forces that shape the news and one of its most controversial practices: picturing the dead … The patterns are striking and they reveal the strong influence of certain social forces, especially nationalism, that overturn long-held assumptions about which deaths are newsworthy.”
Roy Vongtama C’96 writes, “I’m excited to announce the feature film I produced, After the Rain, directed by Daniel Bonjour, is now available on Amazon Prime for free! I also act in a supporting role. I’d love Penn community support! Especially the Class of 1996!”
1999
Patrick Shilling C’99 writes, “I was recently promoted to Head of Americas Litigation for UBS Group AG. In this role, I oversee all litigation and significant regulatory matters for UBS in the Americas.”
2000
Dr. Judy Evans M’00 GM’00 writes, “I have written and published a book called The Transient: A Memoir and Meditations on the Loss of a Younger Sibling, in loving memory of Dave Evans (1981–2004). The memoir is intended not only as a tribute to my little brother but also as an attempt to support others who have lost someone dear beyond words or to bring some kind of comfort to anyone who reads it. It is available on Amazon.”
Jeremy Gill Gr’00, a composer, conductor, and pianist, has released a new CD, Before the Wresting Tides, from the Boston Modern Orchestra Project.
2001
Dr. Manu Sehgal GM’01 writes, “My wife, Kerensa, and I feel very fortunate to not have incurred any damage from Hurricane Irma to our Florida homes, and our hearts go out to those who were not as fortunate, especially the people of Puerto Rico, who have sadly been without electricity for quite a long time. We’ve therefore been donating provisions to Puerto Rico and attending fundraisers to help out our southerly neighbors in this difficult time. On a happier note, in October we celebrated the one-year birthday of our daughter, Amara. We hosted a luncheon in Orlando for friends and family, with several dozen guests in attendance and a hot air balloon party theme. Amara is walking now and getting into everything, as she should.”
2002
Maribeth Gainard C’02 W’02 married Hal Goltz EAS’04 W’04 on October 21 at the Cleveland Museum of Art in Cleveland, Ohio. Maribeth writes, “Until last month, I was the chief financial officer of 3SI Holding in France, a subsidiary of the Otto Group. Hal was, until last year, a managing director at a New York-based hedge fund. As of this month, he is a partner at a private investment firm based in New York. We are living in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. Ashley Smith G’08 WG’08, Victoria Taylor C’02, Joanna Young C’02 W’02 and Stefan Sterns C’04 gave speeches on behalf of the bride and the groom. Other Penn alums in attendance included: Nivee Amin C’02 W’02, Sharon Chae Haver C’02 W’02, Katherine Dix C’09, Rob Doherty W’04, Marissa Bell Doherty W’04, Muneesha Goyal WG’07, Emma Walker Griffith C’02 W’02, Everett Hutt L’98 WG’98, Adam Kahn W’05, Jeremy Katz W’04, Justin Mandelbaum C’02 W’02, Dia Martin WG’02, Andrada Ispas Paraschiv C’02 W’02 G’07 WG’07, Thomas Pozios C’02 W’02, Aaron Rosenstein W’02, Layla Swanson Shaikh V’07, Kevin Shen WG’08, Anna Shlimak W’08, Nitin Sikka EAS’02 W’02 GEng’02, A. Lloyd Thomas C’06 W’06, Karthik Venkataraman WG’08, Denise Shumway Wallace C’02 W’02, Adrienne Moore Wetmore C’02, and Yin L. Yin C’06 W’06 WG’06. Hal and I met in London in 2013, where we were both working at the time. We were introduced by a mutual friend (Aaron Rosenstein W’02), but did not begin dating until after I moved to France in 2014. Sparks flew when we attended a Fourth of July party in 2015 hosted by A. Lloyd Thomas C’06 W’06 and Margaret Daly Thomas in London.”
Avital Even-Shoshan Perlman C’02 writes, “I married Marc Perlman on March 18 at the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. Alumni attending included Hayley Friedman C’02 and my brother Dori Even-Shoshan SPP’13. Marc and I live in New York City, where he’s a director at S&P Global Ratings, and I’m a partner at Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner LLP.”
Dr. Ryan Rakowski C’02 and Jess Rakowski are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Ivy Quinn Rakowski, on September 10 in Toronto. Ryan writes, “She was delivered by Dr. Jonathan Cabin C’01 and joins big sister Leah (seven) and big brother Dylan (five). Despite Ivy’s young age, her siblings are always ready to take family portraits with her; Dylan curiously insists they always pose in height order. Ivy’s baby naming took place on October 2 at Lavender and White Restaurant in Rhomega, Ontario, and was attended by proud extended family and friend alums:Dr. Daniel Gorelick-Feldman C’97,Ray Broome C’99, Douglas Wurtz C’00,Matthew Rich EAS’02 WG’09,William Preston Welty III C’02 L’03, andJosh Cohn C’05. Scott Melker C’99,David Pichichero C’01, and Zachary P. Lodmer Esq. C’02 sung a beautiful a cappella rendition of “American Girl” in an ironic tribute to Tom Petty and North American unity. The performance had the guests yearning for a Penn Six-5000 reunion.”
2003
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Michael Frankel C’03 see Audrey Hutt Frankel C’04 .
2004
Neil Anand C’04 writes, “I am thrilled to announce that I have stepped into the world of entrepreneurship while also doing something very fulfilling. I have started an in-home elder care business, ComForCare, in southern Connecticut. We are part of a national franchise network, so if you or your family ever have this need, please do not hesitate to reach out at www.comforcare.com. This is all about living your best life possible!”
Ross Clark C’04 has been hired as senior vice president of Business Operations, Development, and Strategy for EPIX, a premium entertainment network that was recently acquired by MGM.
Audrey Hutt Frankel C’04 writes, “Michael Frankel C’03 and I are excited to announce the birth of our son, Jordan Martin, this past May. Jordan joins Laura (four) who is thrilled to be a big sister! We live in New York City, where I work for Microsoft, and Michael manages his two businesses, Kosher Advantage and HULEDET.”
Hal Goltz EAS’04 W’04 see Maribeth Gainard C’02 W’02.
2005
Tom Kurland C’05 and his wife, Kacie Lally, welcomed their first child, baby boy Theodore Thomas Kurland-Lally, on September 28. Tom writes, “Theo was a whopping 9 pounds, 3 ounces, and 22 inches at birth and is adjusting well to the sights and sounds of New York City, where mom and dad both live and practice law—now with considerably less sleep!”
2006
Conor Lamb C’06 L’09 , a federal prosecutor and US Marine Corps veteran, won the Democratic nomination for a special election in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District to be held March 13.
2007
Emily Chang EAS’07 and Dr. Daniel Sun EAS’07 welcomed their son Kingston Yongxiang Sun on September 23. Emily writes, “Kingston was born at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, where Daniel is currently completing a fellowship in otology, neurotology, and skull base surgery after nine years at Johns Hopkins University for medical school and residency. I earned my PhD in chemical engineering from MIT in 2013, and launched a new sepsis diagnostic assay with Thermo Fisher Scientific and Abbott Diagnostics in 2017. Daniel and I lived next door to each other in Hill House as freshmen at Penn. Our wedding in 2015 was attended by Dr. Joel Bronstein EAS’07, Lauren Buller C’07, Dr. Tiffany Chen C’07, Liana Esposito Ottaviani EAS’07, Dr. Geoffrey Kelly C’07, Clarinda Lim EAS’07 W’07, Michael Rugnetta C’07, Matthew Wolf C’07 GEng’15, and Bill Young C’07 W’07.”
Vivek Kumar W’07 , founder and CEO of employee engagement technology company Qlicket, writes, “Qlicket has been selected as a quarterfinalist for the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Catalyst Pitch Competition. GIST is a US Department of State program dedicated to the advancement of entrepreneurship and tech development across the globe. The top 32 of these 65 quarterfinalists will advance to the live semifinals, which will be taking place at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES 2017) in Hyderabad, India, an event that includes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump’s advisor and daughter Ivanka Trump.”
Andrew Leisman C’07 married Julia Macalaster on August 19 at Shelburne Farms in Vermont. Andrew writes, “We were joined by many fellow Penn classmates, including Alexander Wheat W’07, Jay Gleacher C’07, Kihoon Cho C’07 WG’14, Sean Barrett W’07, Nick Barber C’08, Christopher Nizolek C’09, Sam Peale C’07, and Schuyler Reece C’07. We were also joined by fellow Penn family members, my father, William Leisman W’72, sister, Jenni Leisman Dessert W’99, and my new brother-in-law, Andy Macalaster C’11. Julia and I live together in New York City with our puppy, Walker.”
2008
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 11-14, 2018
Laura Kerr Price C’08 and Jeremy Price C’08 write, “We have had a season of new beginnings! We are happy to announce the birth of our daughter, Matilda Nessa Price, born on September 21. We now live in Durham, North Carolina, where Laura is an English teacher at Cary Academy, and Jeremy is a resident in radiation oncology at Duke University Hospital. Matilda is born into a proud Penn family: Grandparents Ruth Bunis Kerr W’79 and Brian Kerr C’79, and Aunt Debra Kerr C’08 ; Grandparents Sharon Wolinsky-Price W’76 andMarvin Price C’76, and Uncle Ryan Price C’12.”
David D. Troutman L’08 was promoted to counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP, effective January 1, 2018. David is a member of the Litigation and Trial Department in the firm’s Orange County, California, office, and he focuses his practice on intellectual property matters.
2009
Heather Alpino C’09 and Jeff Petkun EAS’09 are excited to announce the birth of their son, Jude Levi Petkun, on March 22. Heather writes, “Jude joins doting three-year-old big sister Mila, an avid Beatles fan who enjoys singing ‘Hey Jude’ to her little brother at the top of her lungs. We live in Northern Virginia, where I am a trial attorney at the US Department of Justice, and Jeff is a senior software design engineer at Concur Technologies.”
Alina Ispas W’09 WG’16 married Alexander Montbriand on July 2 at the Springton Manor in Glenmoore, Pennsylvania. The bridal party included proud Quakers Christine Cheng W’09, Amanda Beyers EAS’09, Elizabeth Del Valle Gelineau WG’16, Maria Jos WG’16, Dan Mageau C’13, and Bruk Mensa C’08. Other alumni in attendance were James Latta C’09 WG’16, Jenepher Schulte L’16 WG’16, Shilpa Rao WG’16, Navid Gharavi WG’16, Camille Fabre WG’16, Gregory Dubin WG’16, Rajasekhar Ghanta W’09, Chelsea Frehulfer WG’16, Roman Tschupp WG’16, Shady Darrag WG’16, Sara Landers SPP’17, Rita Chang WG’16, Andra Bratu WG’16, Yasmin Tailor WG’16, Boris Petkov EAS’09, Marykay Kaminski LPS’13, Erin McGowan SPP’12 , and John Ondik WG’94. The couple resides in Philadelphia.
2010
Susan Helft Gr’10 see William H. Stiebing Jr. Gr’70.
Rami Reyes W’10 was profiled in an October 17 Forbes story titled “The Making of a Young VC: Meet Rami Reyes.” He is cofounder and principal of NextEquity Partners, a venture capital firm.
2011
Wendy De La Rosa W’11 , cofounder of Common Cents Lab, was named in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list for her contributions in finance. Wendy continues to stay involved in La Casa Latina as a mentor in its Familias Mentorship Program.
Brooke Erin Duffy Gr’11 recently published her second book, (Not) Getting Paid to Do What You Love: Gender, Social Media, and Aspirational Work , with Yale University Press. She is currently an assistant professor of communication at Cornell University.
2012
Dr. Kathryn Wulster V’12 , clinical assistance professor of diagnostic imaging at Penn Vet, gave a lecture titled “Advanced Imaging: Innovations in Diagnostic Capabilities” during Penn Vet’s Free First Tuesday Lecture Series for horse enthusiasts at the New Bolton campus. In her presentation, Kathryn shared what her team has learned after one year of using Penn Vet’s new EQUIMAGINE robotics controlled CT system.
2014
Laura Resnick C’14 and Sacha Samotin C’15 were married at New Jersey’s Natirar Estate in July. Laura writes, “Sacha and I met at Penn when we were set up on a blind date by bridesmaid Elana Stern C’15 L’18 . Also in the bridal party were my sister Allison Resnick C’16, bridesmaid Kelsey Hilbrich C’14 W’14, and groomsmen Matt Kalmans C’15 G’15 LPS’15 and Anthony Liveris C’14. We were thrilled to celebrate at the Sunday afternoon reception with many other Penn friends, including Ross Newman D’18 GEd’18, Audrey Harnagel C’16, Ezra Kurtz C’17, Varun Anand C’16, Saumil Jariwala C’14 W’14, Nandita Jatkar W’14, and more. We now reside in New York City, where Sacha is the cofounder and co-CEO of the consulting start-up Applecart, and I am a PhD student in political science at Columbia University. Sacha is currently also serving as a non-resident senior fellow at Penn’s Robert A. Fox Leadership Program.”
2015
Hannah Brenneman GEd’15 has been selected by the US Department of State for a 10-month English Language Fellow project, training English teachers abroad. Hannah will be spending the year at Autonomous University of Yucatan in Merida, Mexico.
Sacha Samotin C’15 see Laura Resnick C’14.
Rachel Zestar-Postrk WG’15 and Joseph Carvalho WG’15 celebrated their marriage last July in Sonoma Valley, California, surrounded by family and friends, including 25 of their Wharton classmates.
