Jan|Feb 2019
“Last January, I bicycled 377 miles from Saigon to Bangkok, just before my 78th birthday. I’ve cycled in all 50 states, all of the states of Australia, and all of the provinces of Canada, in addition to 55 other countries. (I’ve also visited 36 countries without my bike!)” — Jay Jacobson W’61
1950
Russell Sherman MtE’50 was honored by the International Titanium Association with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Titanium USA conference in Las Vegas. Russell is known for developing alloys and heat treating protocols for the titanium industry and pioneering the high-volume production of titanium aerospace fasteners. He still consults on a limited basis in Santa Monica, California.
1953
Donald Bercu W’53 writes, “I’m now age 87 but still playing golf (and I shot my age this summer). I was a student of Dr. Solomon Huebner while majoring in insurance at the Wharton School. Subsequently, I joined my brother Roger Bercu W’49, who was also a graduate of Penn, in the insurance agency business. My greatest thrill I got at Penn was my time with Mask and Wig for three years. It was a time when the show traveled on our own train throughout the Christmas season and the Penn alumni came out to see us in Hartford, Connecticut; Syracuse, New York; Buffalo, New York; Cleveland; and Detroit. A highlight was when we appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show with a TV audience of 20 million people in 1952. So I remember how “we did our jig for the Mask and Wig,” and gave the cheer of our class: “’53 has fighting spirit, Quaker fans will always cheer it!” My best to Roger Craton W’54, a chairman of Mask and Wig; Daniel Baugh C’53 G’57, a fellow officer of our freshman class; and Richard Eliasberg W’53 and Chuck Moss W’53, fraternity brothers of Zeta Beta Thau. My avocation today is that of a disc jockey, playing music of the great American songbook, during the summer, on WKHR in Cleveland.”
George L. Hachar W’53 writes, “After graduation I reported to the Quartermaster School in Petersburg, Virginia, and received my commission and assignment as an instructor for incoming recruits. After one year I was posted to Germany to serve at the Quartermaster Depot in Idar Oberstein, Germany, where I remained for one year. Upon completion of my military service, I joined my family’s retail business in Laredo, Texas, and was named president of all Hachar companies, after the passing of the founder in 1958. To pay inheritance taxes, I sold half of one of the family’s unproductive cattle ranches to US Rubber for a tire testing facility and industrial development. This ranch was a perfect rectangle with a major interstate bifurcating the property and only 13 miles from the Laredo city limits. When the advent of the first NAFTA agreement with Mexico industrial development started, I took the opportunity to initiate development of the balance of that ranch. I then formed Hachar Real Estate to develop tracts of land in South Laredo, Texas, for owner-financed, low-income, residential building sites. This company continues to operate and spawned a regional billboard company that currently does static and digital signs throughout south Texas. For the past five years, I was involved in expensive litigation against two banks and a mall landlord for malfeasance. Having prevailed I was awarded damages beyond my expectation. These settlements enabled me to sell the retail stores to Macy’s that continue in operation today. During my tenure I sold ranch land but maintained ownership of the mineral rights. Development of the oil and gas industry in the area led to favorable leasing of all Hachar ranch acreage for successful oil and gas production. Three of my children have retired, and two sons will continue to run the ongoing companies. In closing I urge students to master financial statement interpretation regardless of the field they have selected.”
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1954
James A. Kehl Gr’54 has published The Cross, the Eagle, and the Rising Sun: The 1941 Vatican Conspiracy vs. the Department of State . James is a professor emeritus of history at the University of Pittsburgh.
Murray Levine Gr’54 ’s book Principles of Community Psychology, coauthored with Douglas and David Perkins, has been translated and published in Chinese by Shanghai Educational Publishing House. The English version was published originally by Oxford University Press.
1956
Jack Martin W’56 writes, “I am pleased to report that my Penn roommate and longtime friend Arthur Blum C’56 was awarded an honorary doctorate from Point Park University in Pittsburgh on April 28, 2018, at Point Park’s 58 th commencement ceremony. In January 1966, Art was named as the second president of Point Park. At the age of 34, he was the youngest college president in the United States. As Point Park recently opened the new Pittsburgh Playhouse in downtown Pittsburgh, it is fitting to recall Art’s leadership in creating the dramatic arts major, which lead to the university rescuing the Pittsburgh Playhouse from bankruptcy. Fifty years ago a study for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education contained the following under the heading ‘Projected Fine Arts Center’: ‘Long-range planning is being conducted on a center for the arts, which will be utilized by college programs in Dramatic Arts and Design, and will also serve the community as a downtown location for exhibits, dramatic and musical performances and other events of cultural significance.’”
1958
Alan H. Molod W’58 was the recipient of the seventh-annual Pennsylvania Bar Association W. Edward Sell Business Lawyer Award at the 2018 Business Law Institute in Philadelphia. Alan, who is counsel at Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel LLP, was recognized for his contributions to the practice of business law in Pennsylvania.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1959
Dr. Noah Chivian D’59 writes, “I’ve retired from private practice of endodontics in West Orange, New Jersey, after 54 years. I’m presently teaching at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine as a professor of endodontics and am also an adjunct professor of endodontics at Penn. I have been associated with Newark Beth Israel Medical Center since 1934. I was born there, and I joined the dental staff in 1959, the year I graduated from Penn. I followed my father at ‘The Beth.’ He was part of the original dental staff in 1928 and volunteered until 1958.” Newark Beth Israel Medical Center has renamed its dental center in honor of Noah and his late father, Dr. Jacob Chivian. The Chivian Dental Center was dedicated on November 14, 2018.
Lois Duchin Leimberg CW’59 writes, “I am living in northern Israel (Michmanim) with my son Ari Haym, his wife, Gabriela, and their three children. We are located about 30 minutes from the Sea of Galilee.”
1961
Jay Jacobson W’61 writes, “Last January, I bicycled 377 miles from Saigon to Bangkok, just before my 78th birthday. I’ve cycled in all 50 states, all of the states of Australia, and all of the provinces of Canada, in addition to 55 other countries. (I’ve also visited 36 countries without my bike!) I have cycled a total of almost 200,000 miles, mostly since I retired in 1990 from my personnel placement business. I hope to celebrate my 80 th birthday in early 2020 with a similar bike ride in southern India.”
Walt Lawson Ed’61 writes, “University of Pennsylvania alumni from the Kappa Sigma fraternity continued an almost 50-year tradition of attending a Penn football game by traveling to Hanover, New Hampshire, for the Penn–Dartmouth game during the weekend of September 28–30. Although there was no victory for the Quakers, the brothers and their wives enjoyed a wonderful weekend at the Woodstock Inn in Woodstock, Vermont. Attending with me and my wife, Connie, wereBill Lukens MtE’61 and his wife, Frances;Bob Macomber ME’64 WG’66 and his wife, Debbie;Fred Wakelin W’64 and his wife, Rae; Burke Asher W’63; Beach Aten W’63 and his wife, Kathy; Joe Sugden W’63; and Roger Bobowick C’62 and his wife, Barbara.”
Bill Lukens MtE’61 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
Arthur S. Reber C’61 writes, “My most recent book, The First Minds: Caterpillars, ‘Karyotes, and Consciousness, was published in November by Oxford University Press. The thesis of the volume is a radical one—namely that consciousness and sentience first appeared along with the very first life forms, the prokaryotes. Yes, bacteria have (very tiny) minds. Just as all other species evolved from these primitive beginnings, so did all forms of mental life. I retired from Brooklyn College and the Grad Center of City University of New York (CUNY) in 2005. Rhiannon Allen and I live in Point Roberts, Washington, just a stone’s throw from Vancouver, British Columbia, and both of us have courtesy appointments in the psychology department at the University of British Columbia.”
1962
Marty Alloy W’62, Jay Bear W’62, Steve Brett W’62 L’66, Tom Carver W’62, Dick Isroff W’62, Paul Rathblott C’62, Mike Singer W’62, and Jim Tarica W’62 gathered in Las Vegas to memorialize Murray Friedman W’62 and Steve Goodman W’62, who both passed away this year. Paul writes, “The gathering was so successful, the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity brothers Class of 1962 plan annual reunions.”
Roger Bobowick C’62 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
1963
Burke Asher W’63 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
Beach Aten W’63 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
Ed Mannino C’63 L’66 writes, “In May, my wife, Toni O’Connell, and I walked over 100 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago in Spain with a group of Catholic pilgrims. We each received Compostela Certificates at the Santiago Cathedral to acknowledge our successful completion of the pilgrimage.”
Joe Sugden W’63 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1964
Stewart R. Cades W’64 L’67 has been elected chairman of Audubon Pennsylvania. Stewart is the executive chairman of Overseas Strategic Consulting, an international consulting firm, and he currently serves on the boards of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation and the Center for Conservation of Art and Historical Artifacts. Stewart was class president from 1975 to 1990 and has served on the boards of Southeastern Pennsylvanian Transit Authority, Montgomery County Planning Commission, Philadelphia Airport Advisory, Juvenile Law Center, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Fabric Workshop and Museum, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Foundation for Architecture.
Paul G. Humber C’64 GEd’65 writes, “I am the editor of The Lasting Bible, published this year by CR Ministries. It corrects mistranslations of olam (Hebrew) and aionios (Greek). Many English translations err, leading to confusion regarding hell’s duration, the land of Israel, etc. Jesus taught that true worship would not be connected to real estate (cf. John 4:21). He also taught proportional punishment (Lk 12:47-48) with eventual cessation (Mt 10:28). Immortal life is not something inherent in man, as per Plato. It comes as a gift from Creator Christ. Both words are indeterminate as to duration and are equivalent to the English, lasting. The Holy Spirit used these indeterminate words to describe such things as the duration of Solomon’s Temple, Day of Atonement observance, circumcision, Passover observance, slavery, Aaronic priesthood, Jonah’s stay in the aquatic animal, life, punishment, God, sabbath observance, earth, etc. Scholars should translate with equivalency and not try to discern when to use a temporal word and when to use an eternal one. Free PDF copies of The Lasting Bible are available at bit.ly/2FuiK8P, and paperback copies are available by emailing me at paulhumber@verizon.net.”
Bob Macomber ME’64 WG’66 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
Barbra Shotel CW’64 , a former talent coordinator for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, writes, “I recorded an interview for the Carson Podcast about my years in television. In it, I talk about writing ‘My Stint with Tonight’ for the Gazette (March 1980) while living in New Zealand after resigning from the show. The Gazette is referenced throughout the interview because my piece helped me recall details of guests I worked with. Shortly after publication, the article was shown to Johnny who, apparently, liked it—enough so, that he wrote me a letter of recommendation for law school thereafter.” Listen to Barbra’s interview at carsonpodcast.com/barbra-shotel and view her article on our website.
Fred Wakelin W’64 see Walt Lawson Ed’61.
1965
Barry Moore GAr’65 was honored by the American Institute of Architects Houston with the Award for Career Distinction. Barry was recognized for the quality of his design work, his teaching at the University of Houston, and his writing on the city’s past, present, and future.
Auseklis Ozols FA’65 founded the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts in 1978. In celebration of the academy’s 40th anniversary, a new book has been published about his work, titled Auseklis Ozols, The Romantic Realism of an Artist and Teacher.
Joan Segal Trachtenberg Nu’65 GNu’81 attended the awarding of the Dr. Claire M. Fagin Distinguished Researcher Award from Penn Nursing to Dr. Kathryn H. Bowles Gr’96 in October. Joan writes, “I was so very happy to have my picture taken with Penn Nursing past deans Dr. Afaf Meleis andDr. Claire M. Fagin Hon’94, and current dean Dr. Antonia Villarruel GNu’82.” The photo can be seen on our website.
1966
Peter W. Murray WG’66 writes, “After I received my MBA in transportation economics in 1966, I spent the next 41 years in airline marketing and planning, followed by a side-career in college teaching and graduate-program administration. Eventually, I ended up in local government as a start-up business consultant. I retired in 2007. I’ve lived in Atlanta, New York, Miami, Honolulu, and now in Charlotte, Virginia, since 1994. Married 52 years, two grown sons, two grandkids.”
Larissa Zaleska Onyshkevych G’69 Gr’73 writes, “I have published a new book, this time in the Ukrainian language, Hranytsi, Bomby i Dva Pravi Cherevychky (Lviv: 2018). It is my own translation of my memoir Borders, Bombs, and Two Right Shoes: World War II Through the Eyes of a Ukrainian Child Refugee Survivor (2016).”
1972
Dr. Harold Pincus C’72 has received a $2.4 million grant from the John A. Hartford Foundation to continue its Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program for an additional four years. Harold, who is national director of the program, writes, “The program is designed to develop a cadre of leaders focused on changing policy to improve the lives of older Americans. Over the past 10 years, 128 fellows representing outstanding scholars and practitioners across a range of disciplines and career stages have played important roles in shaping policies at national, state, and local levels.” Harold is a professor and vice chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and codirector of Columbia’s Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. He is also a senior scientist at the RAND Corporation.
1973
Seth Bergmann GEE’73 writes, “On November 4, I ran the Ben Franklin Bridge 10K race, finishing in 46:13, good for second place among men 65 and over.”
Dr. Jerry Fischer C’73 writes, “After 36 years as one of the founding partners for Diabetes and Glandular Disease Clinic in San Antonio, Texas, I will be retiring from clinical practice. After helping build one of the largest endocrine-only specialty practices, I am planning to take on new challenges—namely, starting a consulting company focusing on technology in diabetes care to include digital approaches and human factor initiatives and possibly the use of blockchains for health information. Along with professional goals, I hope to spend more time coaching Special Olympics here in San Antonio (our local group is called Best Friends). To make my next phase complete, I will try to spoil the new center of my world, my first grandchild, Parker Ray Berringer, as much as his parents let me! Of course I now have no excuses for missing future class reunions with my lifelong friends from Beta Sig. I hope to attend many in the coming years.”
H. Frederick Sweitzer C’73 has been named provost at the University of Hartford. He has been serving as interim provost since 2016.
David Teece G’73 Gr’75 was recently presented the CK Prahalad Distinguished Scholar-Practitioner Award from the Strategic Management Society. David is chairman and principal executive officer at Berkeley Research Group, as well as a professor and director of the Tusher Center for the Management of Intellectual Capital at the University of California, Berkeley.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1974
Ralph D. Caparulo GFA’74 writes, “Three of my sculptures appeared in Art of New York: Annual Juried Art Show, which ran from November 2 through December 30 in the regional art galleries of the Arkell Museum in Canajoharie, New York. Juror Corey Pitkin, a local, national, and international competition winner and painting instructor, selected 29 artists from across New York state for the show. Having moved from New Jersey in 1996, I maintain an active studio while continuing to teach art history and studio art at Schenectady County Community College, and operating a bed and breakfast with my wife in rural Galway, New York, just outside of Saratoga Springs (visit Wyndbourne.com for more details). I have had the privilege of working with homeschooled and private adult students in my studio. The foothills of the Adirondacks is a beautiful and peaceful location for aging in place.”
Gordon Goodman C’74 L’77 writes, “In the November election, I was elected to become a Justice on the Texas First District Court of Appeals, Place Two. My wife and I had just celebrated our 40th anniversary earlier in September, which was followed by the wedding of our third daughter in October. After three exciting months, we are looking forward to a quiet December.”
William Kupprion G’74 writes, “I’m proud to announce that my daughter Dr. Emily Kupprion V’03, medical director and emergency/critical care veterinarian at the VCA Bay Area Veterinary Hospital of San Leandro, California, recently adopted three children, ages seven, nine, and 12. She and her spouse, Hajra Kupprion-Khan, and their three new family members reside in Oakland, California. Emily recently returned to the Philadelphia area to attend her 20-year reunion from Bryn Mawr College. While in town, the family visited and thoroughly enjoyed the Penn Museum, where son Duey interviewed a Museum docent for a sixth-grade history project. The interview was filmed, edited, and submitted, garnering Duey an A. Thanks to the Penn community for supporting their alumni.”
John F. Sopko C’74 authored a piece in New York University’s Journal of International Law and Politics, titled “Rebuilding Afghanistan: A Fight Against Corruption,” along with an op-ed for The Hill, titled “Who you gonna call? Inspectors General.” John is the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction.
1975
Paula Asinof WG’75 has published the second edition of Be Sharp: “Tell Me About Yourself” in Great Introductions and Professional Bios , with coauthor Mina Brown. Paula is the founder of Yellow Brick Path, a career management and consulting firm.
Judith S. Beck CW’75 Gr’82 is president of the nonprofit Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, and clinical professor of psychology in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. She recently received honorary doctorates from Assumption College and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine for her contributions to the field of psychotherapy.
Dr. Robert M. Fleisher GD’76 writes, “I am happy to announce the publication of my debut thriller novel, The Divine Affliction, by Black Rose Writing. The book employs medical and biblical elements to weave a tale of terror attacks on America. Not for the faint of heart.” Robert is an active, lifetime member of International Thriller Writers and is currently working on his next novel.
Dr. Louis “Luigi” E. Rossman D’75 GD’77 , a clinical professor of endodontics and overseer at Penn Dental, has received the Edgar D. Coolige Award from the American Association of Endodontists for his leadership and dedication to dentistry.
1976
Jeff Hooke W’76 WG’77 writes, “I gave a talk at Google Headquarters on ‘The Myth of Private Equity,’ which can be viewed at bit.ly/2A0ax6x. Previous finance speakers included Howard Marks, Ray Dalio, and Bruce Flatt.” Jeff is a lecturer at Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Two of his books were recently translated into Chinese. He notes, “I also enjoyed attending the 2018 Homecoming festivities.”
Michael P. Malloy L’76 , a member of the Real Estate Markets Advisory Group, participated in the plenary sessions of the Committee for Housing and Land Management, UN Economic Commission for Europe in October. He writes, “During two days of deliberations at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, the committee reviewed and approved the revised version of the Policy Framework for Sustainable Real Estate Markets, on which my colleagues and I have been working for the past two years. It will be published as an official UN document, in English and Russian, in both print and digital versions.”
1977
R. Donald Bartusiak ChE’77 received the Excellence in Leadership Award by the International Society for Automation. Don is chief engineer, process control for ExxonMobil Research and Engineering and cochair of the Open Process Automation Forum of the Open Group, which defines international standards for open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture.
Sean P. Colgan C’77 writes, “We’re having a wonderful spring lambing season in Napier, New Zealand, with 1,200 acres and 1,800 lambs being born this month. Please visit if you’re in the area, as we also have olive groves, bee hives, orchards, and 55 vineyards within 20 miles.”
Nancy Finkelstein Summers C’77 L’84 see Ronald M. Summers C’81 M’85 Gr’88 GM’89.
1978
Harris M. Steinberg C’78 GAr’82, executive director of the Lindy Institute at Drexel University, was honored with the 31st annual Wyck-Strickland Award from the Wyck, a national historic landmark house and garden in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Prior to his work at Drexel, Harris helped found and lead PennPraxis, the clinical arm of PennDesign.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1979
Dr. Seth L. Matarasso C’79 received the Samuel J. Stegman MD Award for Distinguished Service from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery.
1980
Leonard Bernstein C’80 W’80 writes, “On July 5, I became one of the founding partners of the new Philadelphia office of the 1,300-lawyer Holland & Knight law firm. We have now over 30 lawyers in our Philadelphia HK office, located near Penn at the Cira Center, adjacent to 30th Street Station. I was also named cochair of the firm’s Financial Services Regulatory Team and as public and charitable service partner for our Philadelphia office. I continue my community work as board secretary of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, as a member of the Executive Committee for the board of the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House, and as an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania region of the Trust for Public Land. For Penn, I continue as the Main Line Alumni Interview Committee chair, where I am proud that all applicants to Penn in our region are offered an alumni interview. I’m also proud of my Class of 1980 Community Service Committee colleagues who continue our community service project serving Sayre High School students by arranging a monthly after-school excursion to a cultural institution. Let’s go, Quakers!”
Greg Hirsch C’80 writes, “I continue to live and work as a cardiac surgeon in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My five kids are growing up, two in university already (Western-Med Sciences and Queens-Eng) and three gearing up. Neither college kid’s dorm has yet to measure up to Butcher Dungeon and its monstrous roaches. I remain grateful for the wonderful education Penn afforded me and remember my time at Penn often.”
Janet Kohlhase Gr’80 , professor of economics at the University of Houston, was elected to be a fellow of the Regional Science Association International. She writes, “The association was founded at Penn by former professor Walter Isard.”
Wendy Cherner Maneval C’80 writes, “I am excited to report that I recently joined the leadership team of Eagleville Hospital as its chief legal officer. Eagleville is a 300-bed substance use disorder treatment hospital. I hope to apply my health law knowledge and legal skills to assist in the fight against the current public health crisis of addiction. I live outside of Philadelphia with my husband, Philip Maneval G’83, who is a composer and administrator of two chamber music organizations.”
1981
Haresh Lalvani Gr’81 [“The Shape of Things to Come,” Jan|Feb 2016] was interviewed by The Wire in Mumbai during a visit last summer. The article, “Could All Shapes Have Their Origin in a Universal Genetic Code of Form?,” can be found online at https://bit.ly/2JC5yNE .
Ronald M. Summers C’81 M’85 Gr’88 GM’89 writes, “2018 has been a busy year. In April, I was program cochair at the IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging in Washington, DC, and keynote speaker at the Canadian Association of Radiologists conference in Montreal. In July, I gave a keynote speech on the impact of artificial intelligence on radiology at the Medical Imaging with Deep Learning conference in Amsterdam. In August, I gave a plenary speech at the National Institutes of Health AI workshop convened by Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In my spare time, I practice diagnostic radiology and am a tenured clinician-scientist at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Recently, my wife, Nancy Finkelstein Summers C’77 L’84, and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in Bermuda. Nancy is enjoying retirement from the practice of law and is reading all the novels she never had time for before.”
1982
Joanne Iverson WEv’82 see Susan Francia C’04 GS’04.
1983
Philip Maneval G’83 see Wendy Cherner Maneval C’80.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1984
Maggie Holtzberg G’84 Gr’87 , manager of the Folk Arts and Heritage Program at Mass Cultural Council, has been awarded the American Folklore Society’s 2018 Benjamin A. Botkin Prize. Maggie holds a PhD in Folklore and Folklife from Penn, and last year her dissertation research was added to the Archive of Folk Culture at the American Folklife Center. She is also an accomplished fiddler.
Harlan M. Sands W’84 has been appointed as the seventh president of Cleveland State University (CSU). He took office on June 1 and celebrated his investiture on October 5. Harlan came to CSU from Wharton, where he previously served as vice dean of finance and administration, chief financial officer, and chief administrative officer.
1985
Sina Rabbany EAS’85 GEng’86 Gr’91 has been appointed dean of the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science at Hofstra University. Sina is founder and director of Hofstra’s bioengineering program and joined the faculty in 1990.
1987
Anthony Schneider C’87 has published a new novel, Lowdown, with Permanent Press. He writes, “Publishers Weekly says, ‘Schneider avoids pathos in this affecting tale of two star-crossed lovers as he paints a vivid picture of a crime family’s values, rules, and pecking order… A worthy, character-driven crime novel.’ Hannah Pittard, author of Visible Empire, writes, ‘A novel to fall in love with. A love story with a rugged sense of humor and a tender criminal at its heart. It’s also a story of forgiveness, and the novel’s final pages will leave you a little bit breathless, a little bit trying not to cry.’”
1988
Jennifer Goldman Abadi C’88 is a culinary expert in the Jewish communities of the Middle East, the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and North Africa. She writes, “As a researcher, developer, and preserver of Sephardic and Judeo-Arabic recipes and food customs, I currently teach cooking at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in Manhattan as well as privately. I also provide Jewish food and culture tours on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. I recently published my second cookbook, Too Good to Passover: Sephardic and Judeo-Arabic Seder Menus and Memories from Africa, Asia and Europe (a nine-year study of 23 communities and how they prepare and observe Passover), and I’m currently working on a new edition of my first cookbook, A Fistful of Lentils: Syrian-Jewish Recipes From Grandma Fritzie’s Kitchen (a collection of recipes and stories from my family). You can follow me on Instagram at @jenniferabadi or check out my website, www.jenniferabadi.com, for more information.”
Dr. John Whyte C’88 has joined WebMD as its chief medical officer. Prior to this position, he was director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the US Food and Drug Administration.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1989
Stephanie Ralph Kager C’89 see Dr. Chris Kager C’90 M’94 .
Barbara J. Yorke C’89 was honored at Living Beyond Breast Cancer’s annual Butterfly Ball in October with the first Andrea and Abraham Morris Impact Award. Barbara has been involved with the charity for more than seven years as a board member and then chair of the board, using her skills in strategic planning and relationships within the scientific community to better serve women and families impacted by breast cancer.
1990
Dr. Luis J. Fujimoto D’90 GD’93 , a dentist in private practice, has been elected president of the American Association of Dental Boards. The association also named him Citizen of the Year.
Dr. Chris Kager C’90 M’94 writes, “My partners and I recently sold our neurosurgery practice and surgery center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to Lancaster General Health, which is a part of Penn Medicine—so I will be coming full circle back to Penn, employed as an LGH/Penn Medicine neurosurgeon, effective January 1. I have been kept busy with all of this as well as with MI-12, an angel investor group that I helped expand to Lancaster. Stephanie Ralph Kager C’89 has been busy coordinating the academics and other activities of our two children (of six) remaining at home and managing the household and equestrian schedule.”
1991
William Hudders GFA’91 writes, “I currently have three large paintings showing in uptown New York at the CRG building at 215 West 125th Street, right down the block from the Studio Museum in Harlem. They are hanging in the lobby, which is open 24/7. Just walk right in and take a look. They will be up until February 28. This is thanks to Suzanne Randolph Fine Arts, who saw my work on Instagram (@williamhudders) and installs art throughout New York in public spaces. Hope you can see them if you are in the area.”
1992
Alan Breslauer C’92 writes, “I launched Custom Catios, which builds high-end cat enclosures throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. You can reach me at alan@customcatios.com and find me on social media at @catioguy.”
1993
Dr. Emily Kupprion V’93 see William Kupprion G’74.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
1994
Jill Heitler Blomberg C’94 , a partner at Old Greenwich, Connecticut-based Schoonmaker, George, Colin & Blomberg PC, was sworn in as president of the Connecticut chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers on June 11, 2018. Prior to assuming the chapter’s presidency, she held roles as its vice president, secretary, and treasurer and has served on its board of managers since 2010. Jill’s practice concentrates on family law matters of high-net worth individuals. She is also a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
1995
Rachel Levy C’95 has been promoted to executive vice president of film music at Universal Pictures. For the past eight years, Rachel was a key member of the department, supervising music and soundtracks for films such asDespicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets, and 2018’s The Grinch.
Jill Orlov GAr’95 writes, “My miniature steel art was in the Art and Craft show in Richmond, Virginia, from November 16 to 18. It was my final show of the year and the 54th year of this beautiful craft and design show, held in a newly renovated train shed in the Shockoe Bottom area of downtown Richmond.”
1996
Kathryn H. Bowles Gr’96 received the 15th annual Claire M. Fagin Distinguished Researcher Award from Penn Nursing, in honor of her contributions to nursing scholarship. Kathryn is the van Ameringen Chair in Nursing Excellence and a professor in Penn Nursing’s Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences. She focuses her studies on the use of information technology to improve healthcare for at-risk older adults.
Kailan Rubinoff C’96 writes, “Aaron Allen, proud big brother Taliesin (five), and I are delighted to welcome Teyrnon Emil Allen-Rubinoff. He was born at Greensboro Women’s Hospital on August 21, 2018, at 12:24 a.m., weighing 7 pounds 8.5 ounces, and was 20 inches long. I am an associate professor of musicology and Aaron is an associate professor of musicology and director of the Environment and Sustainability Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.”
1997
Dr. Joshua P. Klein C’97 and Claire M. Wagner married over Labor Day weekend in Boston. Josh writes, “I’m chief of hospital neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and associate professor of neurology and radiology at Harvard Medical School. Claire, who is the daughter of Penn professor Daniel Wagner, is completing an MD/MBA at Harvard after years working in the healthcare system in Rwanda. We live in Boston’s South End and love seeing Penn alumni around town!”
2000
Jessica Pantzer C’00 writes, “Scott James and I were married on October 27 at The Wagner at The Battery in New York City. Many Penn alumni were in attendance including: Karen Pantzer Gelder C’97, Josh Gelder W’93, Jason Pantzer C’93, Anna Jadow Bloom C’00, Taryn Wallack Langer C’00, Darren Langer C’98, Rachel Kane Strohmenger C’00, Elisia Abrams Blatt C’99, Amy Cayne Schwartz C’00, Pamela Ritter Goldman W’00 L’05, Daniel Goldman C’00, Jamie Ketten Eisen C’00, Jesse Eisen W’00, Alyse Rudnicki Stern C’00, Ilana Edelman Kustanowitz C’00, Abigail Kahn Archibald C’00, andGeorgia Liebman Feldman C’00.”
2003
Heidi Nichols Haddad C’03 has published The Hidden Hands of Justice: NGOs, Human Rights, and International Courts with Cambridge University Press.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
2004
Susan Francia C’04 GS’04 and Joanne Iverson WEv’82 were honored with a mural dedication at the Head of the Schuylkill, a two-day rowing event, held October 27 and 28 in Philadelphia. Susan writes, “The mural is under the Girard Avenue Bridge on the Kelly Drive side. Joanne, who was the first coach of women’s rowing at Penn, championed for women to be included at rowing clubs and in college rowing. I started my rowing career at Penn in 2001 when I walked onto the team.” Susan is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the women’s eight in 2008 and 2012. She was the first Penn alum in 80 years to win two gold medals, and the only to win an Olympic gold medal since Brandon Slay W’98 won for wrestling in 2000.
2005
Patrick Hook C’05 see Julia Holup C’10.
Lindsey Palmer C’05 writes, “My third novel, Otherwise Engaged, comes out on February 26, from Skyhorse Publishing. I invite New Yorkers to attend my book launch at Greenlight Bookstore in Brooklyn on the evening of February 27. You can find more information at lindseyjpalmer.com.”
2006
Kathryn Fleishman C’06 has joined the faculty at the Pennington School, a grades 6–12 college preparatory school in New Jersey. She is a member of the English department.
Amma Kwateng W’06 , a senior product marketing manager at Microsoft,writes, “I had the amazing opportunity to join Microsoft US President Kate Johnson to talk about diversity and inclusion with my colleague Bernie Milan in front of 7,000-plus people at our Digital Transformation Academy Conference. That was one of the biggest adrenaline rushes yet during my time at Microsoft. I am humbled, thankful, and excited to work for an amazing company! Inclusion is like a jigsaw puzzle. Of course you notice the differences of each piece: the shape, the size, the contours, the edges, the different patterns. But in order to achieve your objective of putting the puzzle together you have to focus on the similarities of the pieces and how the differences of each piece complement one another. That is inclusion.”
Alexis Rossman Madden C’06 , manager of marketing and business development at the law firm of Conrad O’Brien, was awarded the 2018 Philadelphia Member of the Year Award by the Legal Marketing Association during the association’s Northeast Conference in Boston on October 26. The Member of the Year Award recognizes those who have “demonstrated unparalleled passion and dedication within the legal marketing industry” and those who have “demonstrated outstanding service by going above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to the LMA and legal marketing profession.”
Pablo Miguel Sierra Silva C’06 writes, “Last spring, Cambridge University Press published my first monograph, Urban Slavery in Colonial Mexico: Puebla de los Ángeles , 1531–1706. The book reassesses the transatlantic slave trade to Mexico and the cultural expectations that allowed slavery to thrive in the 17th century city. It also examines how enslaved families navigated specific urban spaces to remain united, contest their freedom, or both.”
2008
Meredith Levine Finn C’08 writes, “Steven Finn W’08 G’Eng’10 WG’16 and I are proud to announce the birth of our son, Harris Jet Finn, born July 19, 2018. Harris has been busy playing with his new friends and family, including Caren Levine W’81, Brian Finn W’82, Matthew E. Levine C’07, Lindsay Janowitz Levine C’07 L’10, Arden Finn Resnick C’10, Marissa Finn C’12, Bruce Levine C’78 M’82, Aileen Meshover Levine Nu’80 GNu’86, Lisa Finn WG’85, Jason Levine C’05 L’09, Evan Levine L’16 WG’16, and Brett Levine W’13. We are currently living in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Harris and his big siblings, Harper and Hudson, love visiting Penn’s campus.”
Ashley Feinstein Gerstley W’08 writes, “I have a new book hitting shelves January 1, titled The 30-Day Money Cleanse. It’s a fun and fresh guide on tackling your finances and aligning your spending with your values.”
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
2009
Tyhesha Elmore Gr’09 has joined the faculty at the Pennington School, a grades 6–12 college preparatory school in New Jersey. She is a teacher of communication skills at the school’s Cervone Center for Learning.
2010
Julia Holup C’10 writes, “Patrick Hook C’05 and I were married on August 25, 2018, in Cape Neddick, Maine, after meeting at a farmers market in Exeter, New Hampshire, in 2015. Among the guests present to enjoy the homemade limoncello and other fermentations were Sara Mead C’10, Susie Strzelczyk Fletcher W’10 Nu’10, Sarah Doherty EAS’10, Caitlin Jones C’10, Orly May C’10, Molly Seltzer C’10, Samantha Tayne C’10, Amanda Klinger C’11, Adria Lamba C’12, Sarah Katzman C’10, Stephanie Yaghoubi W’10, Shauna O’Donnell C’10, Mac Joseph C ’05, Ronny Grunwald W’05, David Meyerson C’04, Chris Godoy EAS’05, Wayne Massey C’05, Karina Totah C’05, and Flavio Collis WG’10.”
Nsenga Knight GFA’10 had a solo exhibition at the Kwan Fong Gallery of Art and Culture last fall, titled Nsenga Knight: Other Stars. The exhibition consisted of geometric drawings, text paintings, photographs, and oral history recordings by Nsenga. She writes, “Each of my artistic projects is responding to my self-reflexive question: Who am I and what is my place in this world? My artworks exist as invitations to examine new possibilities that broaden our collective imaginations and challenge traditional boundaries of race, nationhood, and religion.”
2011
Ellen Williams C’11 see Thomas Hensle C’12.
2012
Thomas Hensle C’12 and Ellen Williams C’11 were married on September 21 in Paramus, New Jersey. Thomas writes, “Those in attendance included my father, Dr. Terry W. Hensle C’64; R. Greer Cheeseman III EE’77;Penn English Professor Peter Stallybrass; Adam Sherr C’90 GEd’00 and Sarah Sherr NU’98 GNu’01; Sherry Greenberg Nu’90 GNu’92 Gr’14 and Brian Greenberg W’91; John Pollack G’92 Gr’14 and Lynne Farrington, senior curator of special collections at Penn Libraries; Kushol Gupta C’97 Gr’03; Joe Coyne EE’10 EAS’10 GEE’10 and Robin Coyne NU’12 GNu’15; Brian Recchione EAS’10; Stephen Abrams-Downey C’11; Rachel Mathisen Fink NU’11; Danielle Matsumoto C’11 W’11 and Stephen Koblin EAS’11 W’11; Maggie McGrath C’11; Cindy Nicoletti C’11; Terren Niethamer C’11; Kyle Pickett C’11; Landon Reitz C’11; Jenna Stahl C’11 LPS’12; Dr. Louise Wang C’11; Naomi Yager Nu’11 GNu’14; Joseph Lawless C’12; Joseph Cloward C’13; Franklin “Scott” Stinner Jr. GEE’13 Gr’17; and Jeanette Freeman C’18. Other Penn friends in attendance included Andrea Gottschalk, head of exhibits and publications for Penn Libraries; Dr. Douglas Canning, chief of the Division of Urology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of urology in surgery at the Perelman School of Medicine; Megan LeCluyse, campus minister and director of the Christian Association at Penn; and Shelly Erwine, who hasn’t missed a Penn football home game in over 60 years! Ellen and I met in the Huge, the Enormous, the Well-Endowed, Undefeated, Ivy League Champion, University of Pennsylvania Oxymoronic, Fighting Quaker Marching Band. We currently serve as members of the Penn Band Alumni Sports Board. We are grateful to our friends for all of their love and support.”
2013
Daniel J. Mageau C’13 see Sara E. Landers SPP’17.
Celebrate Your Reunion: May 17–19, 2019
2014
Paul Blanton WG’14 founded Vibration Engineering Consultants in 2017. The business is growing, and Paul has recently formed a second company, Quantridge, which provides vibration and acoustic noise monitoring devices for the semiconductor and high-tech industries. Quantridge recently partnered with Winifred International Technology in China and Taiwan to distribute its product across Asia.
Kaytlin Roholt Gr’14 L’14 , a litigation and government regulation associate at Jones Day, has been awarded a yearlong Public Policy Fellowship with the Fund for American Studies.
2015
Ericka Bautista W’15 writes, “I married Dylan Wisthoff at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska.Caitlyn Garcia C’15 and Manola Gonzalez C’15 were bridesmaids, and a lot of other Penn grads were in attendance.”
2017
Sara E. Landers SPP’17 and Daniel J. Mageau C’13 were married in Tarrytown, New York, on September 1, 2018. Sara writes, “We were joined by fellow alumni Stanley A. Landers C’69 (father of the bride), Akshay Agashe W’13, Victoria Aguilar SPP’17, Daina Amorosano SP2’17, André Borczuk W’13, Diondra Brown SPP’17, Kimberly Cárdenas, a second-year graduate student in the School of Arts and Sciences, Michelle Fergis EAS’16 W’16, Casey Gelber EAS’12, Abhishek Hendi EE’11 EAS’11, Alina Ispas Montbriand W’09 WG’16, Zachary Kowalski C’13, Rohaan Kewalramani C’13 W’13, Lauren Landers Tabares SPP’17, Mark Leeper C’16, Imran MacMillan EAS’13, Aliyah Novelli SPP’18, Joyce Ofori Touré SPP’17, Michael Rubin C’13, Gabriel Salas SPP’17, Kimberly Tai C’13, Megan Watson SPP’17, Joshua Wilson EAS’13 GEng’13, and Richard Zitomer C’13.”
Kennedy Wong C’17 is completing her doctoral studies in clinical psychology at La Salle University. She recently coauthored “Interventions Targeting Domains of Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders,” published in Current Psychiatry Reports.
