Share Button

“My brother James and I took a ride in my pontoon boat and discussed the meaning of life. Results were not published.” — George C. Govatos GCE’67 Gr’71


1930s | 1940s | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s


We Want to Hear from You
email gazette@ben.dev.upenn.edu
Mail The Pennsylvania Gazette, 3910 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111
Please include your school and year, along with your address and a daytime telephone number. We include email addresses only when requested or obviously implied.
Deadlines 7/15 for the Sep|Oct issue; 9/15 for Nov|Dec; 11/15 for Jan|Feb; 1/15 for Mar|Apr; 3/15 for May|Jun; and 5/15 for Jul|Aug.


1940s

1948

Harold Berger EE’48 L’51 has received a National Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who in America and Marquis Who’s Who in American Law. Harold serves on the board of overseers for Penn Engineering, as chair of the Friends of Biddle Law Library, as a member of the executive board of the Center of Ethics and the Rule of Law, and he was the recipient of the inaugural Lifetime Commitment Award from Penn Law. He is cofounder and managing principal emeritus of Berger & Montague, and is a recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Legal Intelligencer. A former judge of the Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia, he is the recipient of the Special Service Award of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges and is past chair of the National Committee on the Federal and State Judiciary of the Federal Bar Association. He served as liaison counsel in the Three Mile Island litigation, as a member of the case management team for the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill litigation, and as chair of the Space Law Committee of the American Bar Association.

1950s

1958

Dr. Richard Rappaport C’58, a forensic psychiatrist in San Diego, writes, “I was recently invited to Swansea, Wales, Great Britain, to participate in the making of a documentary about serial killers. The documentary, made by Monster Films, will portray the life and history of 10 of the most notorious serial killers, including John Wayne Gacy. Each killer’s story will be discussed by someone who had actually spent time with that killer. I was the chief psychiatrist for the defense in the Gacy case and spent 65 hours interviewing him and his family. Gacy, often referred to as the Killer Clown, was found guilty of killing 33 young men and burying 29 under his house over a six-year period. His conviction in 1980 resulted in his execution 14 years later.” Richard is said to have been the first person to use the term “serial killer” when he was interviewed by the director of the Behavioral Science Unit of the FBI. He has been a member of the San Diego Psychiatric Society for 33 years and a practicing forensic psychiatrist since 1969.

Richard Saul Wurman Ar’58 GAr’59 has received several awards recently, including the Czech Republic Ladislav Sutnar Prize from University of West Bohemia, an honorary doctorate from Babson College, and the Lifetime Achievement Award in Design from the Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. He writes, “My last two books of some 90 published are UnderstandingUnderstanding [“Arts,” Mar|Apr 2018] and Mortality. I recently moved to Golden Beach, Florida.”

1959

Jim MacPherson W’59 writes, “Following graduation from Wharton and then Columbia Graduate School of Business, I began a diversified business career. It took me from New York to Amsterdam, Paris, Toronto, and life in the Palm Beaches. While working in a range of industries, I also found enjoyment in providing community-related services that included roles as adviser to the State of Florida, a long-term chairman for a heart institute/medical center, a long-term president of the Penn Alumni Club of the Palm Beaches, a position with senior staff of the computer science department at Carnegie Mellon University, an invitation for cancer detection study at Moscow State University, and work with a firm developing cryosurgery procedures. I believe that keeping busy with a diverse range of interests has been essential to my enjoyment and success in life.  I recently found retirement does not suit me and so have been accredited to teach at Palm Beach State College; while awaiting assignment I have been working at the Village of North Palm Beach country club.”

Robert M. Skaler Ar’59 has been presented the Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who for his work in the fields of architecture and forensic architecture, and for his role as an educator. The next Who’s Who in America, to be published in 2020, will have his biography. Robert writes, “In 2019, I donated my extensive postcard collection to the Philadelphia Athenaeum, and the University City postcards were donated to Penn Libraries.”

1960sB

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1960

Denise Scott Brown GCP’60 GAr’65 Hon’94 see Kem Hinton GAr’81.

1961

Charlie Schlesinger W’61 writes, “Steve Silver W’61, Barbara and Lee Shoag W’61, and my wife Joan and I celebrated our friendship of over 60 years at the Kennedy Space Center and Epcot in Orlando, Florida. Go Penn!”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1965

Arthur Finkle WG’65, a designated advanced practitioner by the Association for Conflict Resolution, specializes in labor relations’ mediation. He is the former director of mediation for New Jersey and published two books this year, Transformative Judaism: Sacrificial Cult to Righteousness and Clara and Baron Maurice De Hirsch: Colossi of Russian-Jewish Emigration. Arthur writes, “I now devote my time to teaching and writing. I’m treasurer of the Shady Brook Rotary Club, and leader of the Trenton Jewish Historical Society and Monmouth County (NJ) Jewish Heritage Museum.”

John C. Hover II C’65 WG’67 received the Guggenheim Cup “in recognition of his dedication and service to the Penn Club [of New York].” John has served on the club’s board of directors since it was founded in 1994.

1966

Barry A. Adelman C’66 was inducted into the Wireless History Foundation Hall of Fame in September 2018. In a press release, the foundation noted, “In the early days of the US wireless industry, every issue was novel: the application process, combinations into partnerships and combination of partnerships, vendor agreements, buying infrastructure, and mergers and acquisitions. Although he represented individual wireless clients, Barry served as a powerful and essential representative of the industry as a whole. He was a central figure in creating the framework for an industry that now represents essential 21st-century infrastructure. His leadership and influence in the wireless industry have continued for decades.”

John Doman C’66, an actor best known for his role as Major William Rawls in HBO’s The Wire [“Alumni Profiles,” Sep|Oct 2007], married Ellish “Liz” Donnelly on July 12 in Dublin.

Stephen Klitzman C’66 writes, “The Gun Violence Prevention Group (GVP Group) I founded in 2016 at Temple Sinai, a Reform Jewish congregation in Washington, DC, recently won a 2019 Irving J. Fain Social Justice Award from the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism (CSA). The CSA cited the GVP Group as an ‘outstanding initiative’ and ‘inspiration to the greater Reform Jewish community, encouraging others to undertake similar inspiring initiatives.’ In 2017, I also cofounded the DC Area Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Network. It now has over 100 DC metro area churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples working together to confront the gun violence epidemic in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area and nationwide.” Stephen invites alumni contact at steve.klitzman@gmail.com.

1967

George C. Govatos GCE’67 Gr’71 writes, “My brother James A. Govatos WG’75 and I took a ride in my pontoon boat and discussed the meaning of life. Results were not published.”

Fredric H. Karr C’67 has recently been named book critic for the Township Citizen and the Wynmoor Insider, both of Coconut Creek, Florida. Frederic writes, “I was previously the book critic for several other publications in the South Florida area. Prior to my retirement as a federal attorney at the end of 1995, I wrote book reviews for a number of professional publications.”

1970s

1973

Seth Bergmann GEE’73 writes, “This summer I competed in three sprint triathlons in New Jersey, finishing first in the 70+ age group in all three: Belleplain, Autumn Lake, and Medford Lakes.”

Julie Learner Schwartz CW’73 GEd’74  writes, “My husband, Larry Schwartz Gr’77, and I will be graduating into grandparenthood this coming February 2020 when our son Jonathan and his wife, Jordanna, are expecting a baby. Jonathan is a sales executive with LinkedIn and Jordanna is a speech and language pathologist with the Toronto District Board of Education. My book, Since Joel, is being published by Second Story Press and is due out in March 2020. It is a memoir about loving and losing our son with special needs when he was 25 years old. Larry and I moved to Toronto in 1977 and are now retired from careers in advertising research, and economics and competition policy. We enjoy volunteering, traveling, learning, cycling, snowshoeing, and walking with our non-standard poodle, Piper.”

1974

Sheryl Starr CW’74, a managing partner at Berkopf Goodman LLP, has been named a 2019 Women of FIRE (Finance, Insurance, Real Estate) by Banking New England Magazine.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1975

William J. Edgar GEd’75 Gr’80 has written a new book, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 1871–1920 (Crown & Covenant Publications, 2019). William writes, “The book narrates the internal affairs and external influence of a small church that combined a conservative theology with an activist social vision, with an influence on late 19th century America well beyond their numbers.”

James A. Govatos WG’75 see George C. Govatos GCE’67 Gr’71.

David Schwartz L’75 writes, “My autobiographical novel Elsewhere Than Vietnam: A Story of the Sixties is now available on Amazon. It covers my couple of years in the Army as an interrogator for military intelligence. The story moves from anti-war protests at Yale to the world of resistance within the US military, to the coffeehouses, underground newspapers, and disobedience of citizen soldiers who believed that they were the true American patriots.”

1976

Diane Young Uniman C’76 writes, “After working as a criminal justice appeals attorney for many years, I became a writer of screenplays and musicals that have won over 50 awards at film festivals. My work has been featured at Lincoln Center’s Broadway’s Future series, was accepted into Fringe/NYC, and has won an ASCAP award. And now, added into the creative life mix, I’ve become a breast cancer survivor. But there’s good news! I’ve written a book about my experience to help other cancer patients find, and keep, their happiness mojo. My new book, Bonjour, Breast Cancer—I’m Still Smiling! … Wit, Wisdom, and Optimism for Beating the Breast Cancer Blues, (under my nom de plume/blogger name Princess Diane von Brainisfried) is available now.”

1977

Marshal Granor C’77 was elected chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Real Property, Probate, and Trust Law Section. He has also been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers.

Larry Schwartz Gr’77 see Julie Learner Schwartz CW’73 GEd’74.

1978

Richard Simonson C’78, was presented with the Bette L. Mahon Award for Extraordinary Service by Habitat for Humanity of Eastern Connecticut. He was recognized for his pro bono representation of Habitat’s homebuyers over the past decade. The award was given at Lake of Isles at Foxwoods on May 9. Richard practices law in Waterford, Connecticut, and is married to Dr. Phyllis Holtzman C’79.

Debra Newman Solowey C’78 see Jack Solowey C’13.

1979

Dr. Phyllis Holtzman C’79 see Richard Simonson C’78.

1980s

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1980

Jan P. Levine C’80, a partner with Pepper Hamilton LLP, has been elected as a member of the American Law Institute.

Kristine Shields Nu’80 has written Pregnancy and the Pharmaceutical Industry: The Movement Towards Evidence-Based Pharmacotherapy for Pregnant Women (Elsevier, 2019). She writes, “The book explores the pharmaceutical industry perspective on including ‘the last research orphans’ in drug studies and how it can be reconciled with recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration, Institute of Medicine, Council for International Organizations of Medical Science, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in favor of pregnant women’s inclusion in drug testing.” Kris is a women’s health nurse practitioner, with a master’s in nursing and master’s in public health from Drexel and a doctor of public health degree from UNC Chapel Hill. She lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and is working on a book about sexually transmitted diseases.

Sari Ann Strasburg W’80, an attorney and CPA in Bedford, New Hampshire, has been named 2019 Business Lawyer of the Year—USA by Corporate LiveWire. The judges commented, “Ms. Strasburg has dedicated more than 35 years to business law and we believe that she has shown an exceptional level of success during this time, having now established her own firm for over 16 years and gaining large influence in her jurisdiction.”

1981

Kem Hinton GAr’81, principal of Tuck-Hinton Architects, has received the 2019 William Strickland Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Tennessee Chapter in recognition of his significant body of work influencing and improving the built environment. In a statement, the AIA wrote, “The most important role that Kem received was to be lead designer of the Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall, a 19-acre urban park that was established to celebrate the state’s 200th birthday. … He also designed the Tennessee World War II Memorial, located within the park.” Kem writes, “Can’t quite believe I am now 65. Time does indeed fly. My time at Penn was so wonderful. While there, I was extremely lucky to be able to work at Venturi Scott Brown and Associates. I was a grunt there but tried to absorb the amazing talent of the principals and the super-talented employees. I was back on campus this past June for a reception to remember the late Robert Venturi Hon’80 at the Furness Library, and it was also such a special tribute for his extraordinary wife, Denise Scott Brown GCP’60 GAr’65 Hon’94. Such a dynamic duo. I can never thank them enough for what I learned … most especially for their constant efforts to make our world a better place.”

1982

Robert Carley C’82 writes, “I was recently accepted into the Art of the Northeast  exhibit in New Canaan, Connecticut, and had two more abstracts accepted into the Ridgefield Guild of Art show. The funny thing is that all six abstracts that were accepted into five juried art shows so far this year were drawn outside of my studio. What’s brewing at some Fairfield County, Connecticut, coffee shops? … Creativity. It’s amazing what a hot cup of coffee can do to get one’s creative juices flowing! When the coffee is percolating, my inspiration perks up. I am not pretentious when it comes to what kind of studio space I use. I also draw at my local McDonalds. I call these works … McDrawings.”

1983

Meryl Davidowitz Davids Landau C’83 has published her second novel, a work of yoga/mindfulness women’s fiction. Warrior Won was selected for the top award in inspirational fiction by the Living Now Book Awards.

Dr. Brad Lebo C’83 D’90, a dentist in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, has been inducted into the US Pro Mini Golf Hall of Fame. He is currently playing in his 29th season as a touring pro in the sport of professional putting [“Alumni Profiles,” Jul|Aug 2007].

Todd Pressman C’83, a psychologist in Philadelphia,has written a new book, Deconstructing Anxiety: The Journey from Fear to Fulfillment (Rowman and Littlefield, 2019). More information can be found at www.toddpressman.com.

1984

Danny Sarch C’84 has joined the board of  Experience Camps. He writes, “Experience Camps are free one-week camps (there are five around the country) for grieving children between the ages of six and 16 who have suffered the loss of a parent or sibling. Like all nonprofits, we are always looking for donations.  As important, we are also looking for counselor/volunteers whose empathy and passion make the camps such a special place. Feel free to email me at danny@leitnersarch.com to learn more. Also, this past August marked my 10th consecutive year riding my bike 190 miles over two days to raise money for cancer research and treatment in the Pan-Mass Challenge.”

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1985

Dr. Kieran Cody C’85 has been elected president of the medical staff of Doylestown Hospital for a two-year term. Kieran is a sports medicine specialist and surgeon at Bucks County Orthopedic Specialist.

Judy Coutts GAr’85 received a Public Impact Award from Preservation Pennsylvania for her historic preservation work on 820 12th Street in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Her firm also received a National Award from the 2019 Chrysalis Awards for Remodeling Excellence.

1987

Dr. Rick Wilson D’87 writes, “My coauthor Tom Bentley and I recently published our novel, Swirled All the Way to the Shrub. It is historical (and sometimes hysterical) fiction. We’ve created a website in support of our work, at www.swirledshrub.com; the site includes fascinating historical references for your enjoyment. My first novel was The Man Who Wore Mismatched Socks, for which Tom served as editor. Both works explore the complex relationships between individual human beings and the corporations that so heavily influence and shape our world. With Shrub, we wanted to write a novel that starts at that precise moment when the Roaring Twenties was crushed down into the Whimpering Twenties by the Wall Street crash of 1929. This ignoble setting allowed us to take a flawed but generally likable fellow who was just on the cusp of fantastic success after years of noble effort and crush him down right along with the stock market. And then, of course, explore his path going forward.”

1990s

1992

Dr. Patrick Crist GLA’92 writes, “I launched PlanIt Forward to help integrate human needs with nature. I recently held the position of director of conservation planning at NatureServe for 18 years, where I carried out projects across the hemisphere in biodiversity conservation, land use, transportation, and climate resilience. PlanIt Forward carries on that work.” The organization’s website is www.planitfwd.com.

Cindy Lin C’92 writes, “I’ve published my first book and debut novel, The Twelve, with HarperCollins Children’s Books. The fantasy adventure for young readers (ages eight to 12) hit shelves in July of this year and is a Junior Library Guild selection. I’m now working on the sequel, which is scheduled for publication in July 2020.”

Heidi Howard Tandy C’92 has joined the Miami office of Berger Singerman as a partner. She is a Florida Bar Board Certified expert in intellectual property law.

Ethan Torrey C’92, legal counsel of the Supreme Court of the United States, was elected to membership in the American Law Institute.

1993

Lisa Nass Grabelle C’93 L’96, Kiera Reilly C’93, and Erica Mobasser C’93, Class of 1993 board members,write,“Welcome to all classmates who joined our Class of 1993 board! We are excited that so many classmates volunteered to work with our class as we look towards our 30th reunion in 2023. Any classmates who would like to join this awesome group should email Lisa Nass Grabelle (lisagrabelle@yahoo.com) and Kiera Reilly (kiera1993@gmail.com). Thank you to Aimee Alexander C’93, Arlyn Apollo C’93, Amy Articolo C’93, Jackie Einstein Astrof C’93, Dr. Bita Bagheri C’93 M’97, Jen Eisenberg Bernstein C’93, Laurie Bieber C’93 GEd’94, Jeff Blander W’93, Deb Brown C’93, Frank Caccuro EAS’93 GEng’96, Martin Dias W’93, Eli Faskha EAS’93 W’93, Allison Feder Fliegler W’93 L’99, Tom Gibbs W’93 WG’01, L’96, Kysha Harris W’93, Hilary Marion Hayes C’93 GEd’94, Debbie Corrado Hunt CGS’93, Jennifer Jarett C’93, Ron Kaloostian C’93, Mitchell Kraus C’93, Ruth McIlhenny C’93, Mazy Moghadam W’93, Regan Otto C’93, Jason Pantzer C’93, Kathleen Paralusz C’93, Niko Phillips-Dias C’93, Allison Powell C’93, Jean-Paul Rebillard C’93 G’99, Jen Rizzi C’93, Melissa Rogal C’93 W’93, Stacy Wruble Seewald C’93 W’93, Kristin Haskin Simms C’93, Leslie Smith C’93 GEd’95 WG’02, Mark Sullivan C’93, Leila Graham Willis W’93, and Joel Yarbrough W’93. Check our Facebook group, ‘Penn Class of 1993,’ for a listing of positions for the board. We are thrilled with these awesome classmates who want to help our class!”

Col. Dr. Eric Lombardini C’93 CGS’01 V’01 writes, “I’m the new director of the Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), headquartered in Bangkok but with facilities and personnel in Nepal, Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines. As a medical research facility, AFRIMS has played a role in 100 percent of all FDA-approved anti-malarial drugs, including the newest drug: Tafenoquine. In addition to our malaria work, we led the successful completion of the world’s first HIV vaccine efficacy trial demonstrating the feasibility of a safe and protective HIV vaccine. The Japanese encephalitis vaccine trials were conducted through AFRIMS paving the way to US licensure of JE-VAX, as was the Hepatitis A vaccine trial resulting in licensure of Havrix.”

Melanie G. Rubocki C’93 W’93 has been named office managing partner for the Boise, Idaho, office of law firm Perkins Coie.

David Sorich EAS’93 writes, “I recently graduated from Temple University with my doctorate in business administration and accepted a position of assistant professor at Maine Maritime Academy. My family is currently in the process of moving to the Blue Hill, Maine, area.”

1994

Constance Cone GFA’94 is exhibiting artwork at a three-month show at the Delaware Contemporary in Wilmington, Delaware, which runs through January 5. Constance writes, “It is a 25-year retrospective of work I’ve done using World War I British trench poetry as a stepping-off place. The work began the summer I received my degree in painting and printmaking and continues to this day.”

Meredith Deutsch C’94 has been appointed general counsel and corporate secretary of Blue Apron, a meal kit delivery company.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

1995

Frank Farry W’95, Pennsylvania state representative of the 142nd Legislative District, was appointed to serve as majority chairman of the House Ethics Committee for the 2019–2020 legislative session. This assignment is Frank’s first as a committee chairman. The committee is responsible for investigating complaints against House members, officers, employees, and lobbyists and for rendering advisory opinions regarding questions pertaining to legislative ethics or decorum.

Jennifer Voigt Kaplan W’95 writes, “I’m pleased to announce that my debut children’s novel, Crushing the Red Flowers, will be published by Ig Publishing this November. The novel, set in 1938 Germany, was praised by James Patterson and recognized in six literary contests before its publication.”

Julia Sneeringer Gr’95, a history professor at Queens College and the CUNY Graduate Center, has written A Social History of Early Rock ’n’ Roll in Germany: Hamburg from Burlesque to the Beatles, 1956–69.

1998

Mona Parekh Bijoor C’98 WG’05 writes, “I released my first book, Startups and Downs: The Secrets of Resilient Entrepreneurs, which takes readers through my entrepreneurial journey where I successfully disrupted an industry as a first-time founder. Ten years ago, I started JOOR—a global wholesale marketplace—raising millions in venture capital, and I built a software company, successfully curing the pain points in retail. My story, similar to the other founders interviewed, is not about the successes, but rather about how to overcome challenges with the right mindset. I created a guidebook for navigating everything from pitching with power to coping with competition, and it includes firsthand accounts from 10 respected entrepreneurs sharing failures and triumphs, including the founders of SmartyPants Vitamins, S’well, WTRMLN WTR, Burrow, and Flatiron Health.”

2000s

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

2000

Lauren Kalish Didiuk C’00 writes, “My husband, Michael Didiuk, and I are overjoyed to announce the birth of our son, Charles Michael Didiuk, born July 25. We live in Old Greenwich, Connecticut.”

David Glasner C’00 G’00 recently completed his doctorate in urban education and has been appointed superintendent of schools for the Shaker Heights City School District in Ohio. He writes, “Shaker Heights is located just outside Cleveland and serves approximately 5,000 students from prekindergarten through 12th grade. The district is known for its history of academic excellence and racial integration and for being an International Baccalaureate school district.”

Artur Pylak C’00 writes, “Jackie Debs C’03 and I were married on a mountaintop in New Zealand on February 13, 2018, and had a religious ceremony and reception in New York on May 19, 2018.”

Evan Siegal C’00 writes, “In July of this year, I was admitted as a principal to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) within our advisory practice. I joined PwC in November of 2015, after having spent 15 years at Morgan Stanley. I help lead our Digital Practice within our Asset and Wealth Management sector.”

Phillip Yu EAS’00 received both the 3M Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Excellence Award and the ESPRIT Team Award for 2018, when he was responsible for VHB tapes and primers as senior product engineer in the industrial adhesives and tapes division at 3M. Phillip is now a senior product development engineer in the company’s commercial solutions division. He and his wife, Kristina, recently celebrated the birth of their son. Phillip writes, “Austin James Yu arrived four days early (and saved us paying for an extra year of daycare). He was born on August 30 at 8:50 a.m. at 6 pounds 12 oz and 20 inches, with a full head of hair and overgrown nails.  Everyone is healthy and happily adjusting to the new life. One interesting fact is that during early labor at home, Kristina had eaten a fortune cookie with a fortune that read, ‘Big things are coming in the future. It’s only a matter of time.’”

2001

Lynette Cook-Francis C’01 has been appointed senior vice president for student engagement and enrollment management at Simmons University. She writes, “I look forward to contributing to a student-centered environment that supports the personal, social, and academic development of our students and prepares them for successful careers and lives.”

2003

Jackie Debs C’03 see Artur Pylak C’00.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

2005

Ben Volta CGS’05 is collaborating with two Japanese artists to bring a public art project to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. Through the 2019–2020 US/Japan Creative Arts Fellowship Program, funded by the Japan-US Friendship Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts, Ben’s team will collaborate on a project that expresses “how art, innovation, and sport have the power to change the world and our future.”

2007

Christopher Storm C’07 has been elected one of eight new partners at Morrison Mahoney. As an attorney, Chris represents insurance companies, national retailers, attorneys, and real estate and design professionals in the areas of professional liability, insurance coverage, tort and liability defense, and commercial and business litigation.

2009

Annie Chung C’09 and Nghiep Huynh C’09 were married on September 7 in Philadelphia. Guests included Jennifer Kwok C’09, Debbie Trinh W’09, Leanna Jaiyeloa Jahnke C’09, David Jahnke EAS’09, Stephen Cifelli EAS’08 GEng’08, Helen Chung C’98, and Michelle Nguyen C’22.

Kevin A. Wisniewski LPS’09 writes, “This summer I left my faculty position in the English department at the University of Maryland and currently serve as director of book history and digital initiatives at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts.”

2010s

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

2010

Michael Biercuk C’10, a professor of quantum physics at the University of Sydney in Australia, is also the founder of Q-CTRL. His company produces quantum firmware, which allows computing hardware to be more resistant against errors. The start-up recently received $15 million in venture capital that will allow it to double its existing 25-member staff and open an office in Los Angeles.

Nsenga Knight GFA’10 was a BRICworkspace Artist in Residence in Brooklyn, New York from June to August 2019. She writes, “I am now exhibiting artwork in the Beyond Geographies show at BRIC. The group exhibition opened September 12 and runs through November 17. We’ve received some fabulous press for the show, with a front page feature in the Arts section of the New York Times (September 10, 2019, online at nyti.ms/2lMs1jc).” You can also listen to her oral history as part of the Muslims in Brooklyn programming on the Brooklyn Historical Society’s website (bit.ly/2kHPRfO). Nsenga lives and works in Cairo and New York.

Jessica Phillips Steck Nu’10 writes, “I recently published Nursing-Led Savings with other nursing colleagues at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Sigma Theta Tau International, 2019). The book features the work of bedside nursing staff leading cost-savings projects and promoting a culture of bedside financial stewardship.” Find out more about the book and read a sample chapter at bit.ly/31HemJO.

2011

Mery Diaz GrS’11 writes, “I am currently on the faculty of the human services department at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York (CUNY). This year, I received tenure and promotion to the rank of associate professor. I also coedited Narrating Practice with Children and Adolescents with Ben Shepard. The book considers the narratives we tell about the lives and experiences of children and adolescents, and it proposes counter-narratives that challenge dominant ideas about childhood. How do we define and construct childhood? How do poverty and inequality impact children’s health and welfare? How is childhood lived at the intersection of race, class, and gender? How can practitioners engage children and adolescents through culturally responsive and democratic processes? Offering new frameworks for reflecting on social work practice, the essays serve as a vehicle for the exploration of children’s agency and voice. In March, my husband and I welcomed the birth of our son Emile, and we also celebrated our daughter Eloise’s sixth birthday.”

2013

Kyra Edson C’13 and Jack Solowey C’13 were married on May 26 in Chevy Chase, Maryland, after meeting at Penn during their freshman year. Mother of the groom Debra Newman Solowey C’78 writes, “Kyra graduated from NYU School of Medicine and recently began her pediatrics residency at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Jack graduated from NYU School of Law and will be starting as a first-year associate with Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP in New York in the fall. In the wedding party were best man and brother of the groom Matthew Solowey C’16 and groomsmen Josh Bolgar C’13, Raj Gopal W’13, and Lucas Isakowitz C’13. Maid of honor was Leah Pellegrini C’13 and bridesmaid was Maddy Kruhly C’13. Other guests included Diya Berger C’13, Kevin Bickard EAS’13 GEng’14, Nabhan Chowdhury W’13, Jessica Chung C’13, Jesse Dubois C’13, Ariel Goldenthal C’12, Zachary King C’13, Yeonhwa Lee C’14, Olivia Lenz C’13, Jason Lipschutz W’13, Michelle Molchan C’13, Rebecca Platoff C’12, Julia Posluns W’14, Edward Rivera W’13, Nicole Seligman C’13, Max Silverman W’14, Brady Sullivan C’13, Samuel Ware C’13, and Lance Wildorf C’13. Also in attendance were Ann Adenbaum MT’78, Nan Leibowitz Berfond OT’78 , Rebecca Wilensky Weinstein C’78, Diane Goldstein Temkin L’89, Barry Temkin L’82, Matt Smith C’90, and Valerie Edelson Smith C’91. Alumni in our hearts were Winifred Goldberg Newman CW’50, grandmother of the groom, and Woolf Goldberg ChE’1919, great-grandfather of the groom.”

Erica Hildebrand GEd’13 has been selected for a US State Department English Language Teaching Fellowship in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Erica has taught English in international schools in Laos, Guatemala, Vietnam, and India. She was one of 200 US citizens selected for this 10-month program.

Celebrate Your Reunion: May 15–17, 2020

2015

Sandhya Thiyagarajan EAS’15, a quality engineer at DuPont, has been named to the “40 Under 40” list by Delaware Business Times.

2016

Demetri L. Morgan Gr’16, a faculty member at Loyola University Chicago, writes, “I recently coedited Student Activism, Politics, and Campus Climate in Higher Education (2019). The book presents a comprehensive, contemporary portrait of political engagement and student activism at postsecondary institutions in the United States. This resource explores how colleges and universities are experiencing unrest and in what ways broader sociopolitical conflicts are evident on campus, ultimately unpacking the political dimensions of student engagement within campus climates. Chapter authors in this book critically synthesize relevant research, illuminate interdisciplinary perspectives, and interrogate how current issues of power and oppression shape participatory democracy and higher education at large.”

2017

Tiffany Rodriguez C’17 has been named a 2019 Rappaport Law and Public Policy Fellow by the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Policy at Boston College Law. Rappaport Fellows participate in a 10-week summer internship at municipal and state agencies throughout Greater Boston while attending a weekly seminar series featuring leading practitioners and scholars. Tiffany is currently interning at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

2019

Jamie Gobreski C’19 has been accepted into the Peace Corps and is training as a youth development facilitator volunteer in Peru. She will work on sustainable, community-based development projects that improve the lives of Peruvians. In a press release, she stated, “I specifically applied to Peru because of my continued interest in South America and learning the Spanish language. Additionally, I am committed to engaging and learning from youth … and so I was drawn to work in the youth development sector that operates within Peru.” Prior to joining the Peace Corps, Jamie served as a residential assistant in Ware College House, a Penn Alternative Breaks site leader, and a youth farming mentor, among other roles.

Ioannis K. Rutledge GEng’19, of Kavala, Greece, writes, “I joined Foray Design, a NYC-based medical devices start-up, as of May 2019. Passionate about Foray’s mission to make peoples’ lives easier, I joined the company as marketing and operations manager. Foray has reinvented mobility; we design beautiful tools for people with physical limitations. Having redesigned the modern walker, we are more than excited to help advance user accessibility, mobility, and healthy living. We work hard destigmatizing the use of a walker and bringing back the lives that the people of our community so rightly deserve. I would love to hear from friends in the healthcare or product design industries or from former classmates at irutledge@foraydesign.com.”

Share Button

    Related Posts

    Alumni Notes
    Alumni Notes
    Alumni Notes

    Leave a Reply