1940s
Edward Piszek WEv’40 has written an autobiography, Some Good in the World: A Life of Purpose, which was published last year by the University Press of Colorado. In 1945, at age 29, he started his own business, Mrs. Paul’s Kitchens, the seafood-processing company. He helped in a tuberculosis-eradication program in Poland, and is now working with the U.S. Peace Corps to make English the second language of Poland.
Dr. V. Fred Rayser FA’40 wrote The World’s Best Kept Secret for Success and Happiness, which was published by 1stBooks Library last year; it is an interpretation of the Golden Rule.
George E. Stock W’42 writes, “My years at Penn were highlights of my 80 years to date. I was a Sigma Mu—3819 Walnut Street, as I recall. The Wharton school prepared me for 46 months in W. W. II, and more importantly, 41 years in the banking industry—Chase, etc. Retired, I am living in Florida’s capital, Tallahassee, where my daughter lives with her two boys. As I recall, I was very active at Penn, playing in the Mask & Wig, and four years of lacrosse: third team, All-American in the 1940s. I went into banking and actually worked where they dropped the bomb—11 Broad Street. I have four children and four grandchildren, ages 21 to 57. All are decent and doing their jobs. I enjoy golf and belong to Capital City Country Club, a beautiful course on the edge of town. I enjoy a generous pension, and continue to read The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.”
Dr. Donald R. Becker C’44 writes that he has “retired after 23 years as chief of surgery at two different medical schools and professor of surgery at three medical schools.” Now living in San Francisco, he has three children and three grandchildren, and continues “to lecture on a surgeon’s view of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.”
Mary Lou Aruffo Till Ed’48 GEd’50 was recently admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. After her husband, Capt. Ernest Till C’52, retired from the U.S. Navy, she studied law in Ohio and became an attorney in Pennsylvania in 1992.
Edward W. Madeira Jr. C’49 L’52, a senior partner and chair emeritus of the Philadelphia law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP, in January received the ABA’s Meador-Rosenberg Award in recognition of his “profound contributions to the administration of justice.” He is only the fourth person to receive the award since its inception in 1994. He continues to serve the ABA in various capacities, including as chair of the Commission on State and Judicial Selection Standards.
1950s
Dr. Eugene N. Myers W’54, professor of otolaryngology and the Eye and Ear Foundation Chair at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, presented the Hiranandani Oration and was installed as an honorary member of the Foundation for Head and Neck Oncology at its inaugural meeting in Bangalore, India, in January. He also presented the Joshi Memorial Oration at the following annual meeting of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India.
Dr. Moshe Sonnheim C’54 SW’56 writes he has been living in Israel for the last 30 years. He recently wrote an autobiography, Sundries,published by Jolmos.
Dr. M. Howard Lee C’59 Gr’69, the Regents Professor of Physics at the University of Georgia, e-mails, “I have been elected a fellow of the American Physical Society in 2001 for my research accomplishments in theoretical physics. The election is limited to no more than one-half of one percent of the total membership of the society.”
1960s
Harold P. Gordon WG’60 currently vice-chair of Hasbro, Inc., the toy and game company, was appointed the chair of Dundee Bancorp, the merchant-banking and financial-service company based in Toronto.
Stephen J. Harmelin C’60, managing partner of the Philadelphia law firm of Dilworth Paxson LLP, was recently appointed to the board of Greater Philadelphia First, a regional business and civic leadership organization.
Dr. Eli O. Meltzer C’60 was recently honored with the distinguished-clinician award of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology for outstanding contributions to improving diagnostic methods and therapeutic agents for allergic diseases and for advancing ethics in patient care and clinical investigation. “Still full-time in medical practice in San Diego, I am very happy with my family and my life.”
Albert M. Tantala C’60 CE’61 was re-elected president of the Pennsylvania State Registration Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors and Geologists.
Joe Doyle C’61 e-mails, “After 20 years of heading up my own company with the help of my wife, Micky, we have retired to Sunapee, N.H., about 30 miles southeast of Hanover. We have three children, Stephen Doyle C’86 WG’90, residing in Scotland, Patricia living in White Plains N.Y., and Christine in Nashua, N.H. We spend much of our time spoiling our four granddaughters. Last September we enjoyed the company of about 30 members, coaches, and friends of the 1959 Penn Ivy football championship team by attending the Penn-Dartmouth game in Hanover, and sharing dinner together and reliving old times. I can be contacted at <[email protected]>.”
Gerald A. Friedlander W’61 writes, “I am currently serving my second term as board chair of United Way of Southwest Alabama, Inc., which occupies much of my civic time. I am still CEO of Mobile Rug & Shade Co., Inc., a 64-year old family retail business specializing in home and commercial furnishings. My wife, Kay, and I reside in the idyllic community of Fairhope, across the bay from Mobile. Life is indeed good.”
Robert B. Friedman W’61 writes, “In October we opened the Nathan Hale Inn and Conference Center at the University of Connecticut at Storrs, the second hotel I have developed in the state. The initial facility, the Norwich Comfort Suites, established in 1997, services the Norwich Navigators, an AA affiliate of the New York Yankees, of which I am a general partner. A third Connecticut hotel, in Middletown, is under development.”
Dr. David Apple M’62 medical director for 26 years of the Shepherd Center, a catastrophic-care hospital in Atlanta, was recognized as humanitarian of the year by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in February.
Dr. Howard Pitkow C’62 G’63 is professor emeritus of physiology at Temple University School of Medicine. Past-president of the National Association of Academies of Science, in February he received its distinguished-service award for his many contributions to the association and its goals.
Idaherma Williams GFA’63, a painter and printmaker in Princeton, N.J., is now president of the American Color Print Society. She exhibited in the society’s members’ show last year, winning second prize. Earlier this year she exhibited in the International Woodprint Association exhibition in Kyoto, Japan; a resulting artist’s interview of her, “The Woodblocks of Idaherma Williams,” was published by the international association. She also recently exhibited in the Fourth National Print Competition, held in Chico, Calif., and at the Springfield Art Museum in Missouri.
Gary L. Wilson WG’63, chair of Northwest Airlines, was appointed to the board of Yahoo! in November. He is also a director of The Walt Disney Company, having served as its chief financial officer from 1985 to 1990.
Ruth Wolff Fields Messersmith CW’64 <[email protected]> e-mails, “In support of the Arthritis Foundation, I surprised myself and quite a few friends by raising over $15,000 and completing the Dublin (Ireland) City Marathon last October. It was an exciting adventure from start to finish, begun in honor of the birth of my granddaughter, Riley Fields (in July), and accomplished with the generous support of friends and many Penn alumni across the miles. While I appreciate the importance of fitness and exercise, marathoning (26.2 miles!) is quite another experience—particularly following a nasty fall which ripped asunder multiple tendons and ligaments from my knee to my big toe on my right leg just six months prior to beginning training for this challenge. In other words, I’d been a couch slug for quite a while. Nevertheless, good training and massive amounts of positive reinforcement from great supporters, especially my husband, Lloyd, enabled me to achieve this important objective and, quite proudly, to bring in the largest individual contribution from a race participant.”
Barton Myers GAr’64 is head of Los Angeles-based Barton Myers Associates, Inc., which was recently cited by the California Preservation Foundation for their adaptive re-use work on the Sacramento Hall of Justice (1922); the building now houses the county law library. He was also principal-in-charge of two other projects, an eight-story 1970s building and a 1930s single-story brick building, which garnered architectural-design awards from the City of Beverly Hills last year.
Gerald J. McConomy L’65, a partner in the Exton, Pa., office of the law firm of Fox Rothschild O’Brien & Frankel, LLP, in February was elected treasurer of the Great Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce; he is one of its founding members.
Dr. Elaine Maimon CW’66 G’67 Gr’70, Phoenix, campus CEO and provost of Arizona State University West, was recognized as one of 10 Outstanding Women of 2002 by the YWCA of Maricopa County in January.
Dr. Arthur Simons EE’66 was installed as mayor of Cherry Hill, N.J., in January, after having served as a councilman for the past 14 years, including eight as council president. He also served on the Township Planning Board for 10 years, and on the board of the Cherry Hill Free Public Library, its president for four years. Art is married to Janet Oberlander Simons CW’68, a reading teacher. Their daughter, Julie Simons C’97, is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Miami and their son, Jeffrey Simons C’00, is attending the Northwestern University School of Law.
Steve Herbst C’67, senior vice president of the Bernard Hodes Group in New York, e-mails “The Today Show (with Matt and Katy) aired a feature story about my whistling on March 13. This was not a live appearance, chatting with the hosts and then performing on their set, but rather a ‘following me around in my universe’ piece with lots of whistling, interviewing, and commentary voice-overs. I also understand that there will be repeats of this story on MSNBC and on United Airlines in-flight TV and that The Today Show Web site has more information, such as links to my site (www.SteveTheWhistler.com), how to order my new CD, Broadway And Beyond, etc. Naturally, I am very pleased and gratified.”
F. Gary Garczynski W’68 was elected the 2002 president of the National Association of Home Builders. The Washington-based association represents 206,000 member firms on matters of residential construction. Gary is a builder-developer in Northern Virginia and owner of National Capital Land and Development Company.
B. Herbert Boatner Jr. C’69 in February was named a shareholder of the law firm of Fowler, White, Boggs & Banker, based in Tampa, Fla. Formerly special counsel with the firm, he is chair of its public-finance group. He has concentrated his practice in tax-exempt finance, banking, and securities.
Dr. Richard Cohen C’69 writes he and his wife, Nancy, “have two children that were named No.1 in the United States in tennis last year. Joshua was ranked No.1 in 16-and-under; he is also No.19 in the world in 18-and-under. He did well in the U.S. Open and the French Open last year. Julia is No.1 in the country in 12-and-under; she is also ranked 152, even though she is only 12 years old, in 18-and-under in the world rankings. She won 300 national titles last year and was undefeated with all U.S. players.” Richard is a psychiatrist in Philadelphia, and helps coach both his children.
Jeffrey J. Greenbaum C’69, a partner with Sills, Cummis, Radin, Tischman, Epstein & Gross, P.A, in Newark, N.J., was appointed earlier this year to the ABA’s class-action task force; it will develop the ABA position on proposed federal legislation to correct abuses in class-action practice. He also presented “Overlapping and Competing Class Actions: the Practitioner’s Perspective” to a conference of the U.S. Supreme Court’s advisory committee on civil-rules class action.
Dr. Francis J. Harvey II Gr’69 was appointed in November as acting chief executive officer and president of The IT Group, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based provider of diversified services. He had served as vice-chair since June, after being elected as an outside director in 1999. With a 28-year career with Westinghouse Electric Corporation, he most recently was chief operating officer of its industries and technology group. He also serves on the Board of Regents of Santa Clara University.
Dr. Gary D. Libecap G’69 Gr’76 is the Anheuser Busch professor of Economics and Law and director of the Karl Eller Center at the University of Arizona in Tucson. He also is a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research. He wrote “Learning about the Weather: Dryfarming Doctrine and Homestead Failure in Eastern Montana, 1900-1925,” which appeared in the Spring issue of Montana: The Magazine of Western History.
Dr. Jeffrey V. Osowski C’69 has been appointed vice president for education policy at the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce. He has over 30 years experience in education as teacher, district administrator, psychologist, and school board member. He previously served as assistant commissioner in the state Department of Education, where he had worked in a variety of leadership roles since 1982, most recently being responsible for oversight of charter schools, public-school choice, educational technology, grants management, information technology, and federal school-improvement programs. At the Chamber of Commerce he will “lead the efforts of the New Jersey business community to bring about meaningful and lasting improvements in the state’s educational system.”
Linda E. Perle CW’69 <[email protected]> e-mails she was nominated to run for president-elect of the District of Columbia Bar; if elected, she will become president of the 75,000-member bar in June next year. (Ballots go out to active members this month.) She has been active with the bar throughout her career and served two terms on its Board of Governors. On the staff of the Center for Law & Social Policy, Linda represents civil legal-services programs in her capacity as counsel to the civil division of the National Legal Aid & Defender Association. She also serves as vice president of the Appleseed Foundation.
Hon. Richard B. Teitelman C’69 was appointed in March to the Supreme Court of Missouri, having served on the state Court of Appeals since January 1998. The first Jewish person appointed to that supreme court, he declined to peg himself on the liberal-conservative spectrum, saying only that he brings “a different life experience” to the court’s perspective. Legally blind since birth, he said on an eye chart “I can see the E: the rest of it’s a mystery, and so driving is a problem, and reading quickly is a problem—but I work hard.” Long a champion of the poor and disabled, for 20 years he served with Legal Services for Eastern Missouri, latterly as its director. Asked in a recent St. Louis newspaper interview what significance his disability holds, Judge Teitelman said he hoped his appointment would serve as evidence to blind children that they can succeed, “as lawyers, doctors, whatever they want to be.”
1970s
Dr. Bernard E. Anderson Gr’70, the Whitney M. Young Jr. Professor of Management at the Wharton School, was elected in December to a three-year term on the board of Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute. He had recently served as an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Labor, in charge of the Employment Standards Administration.
Ian M. Comisky W’71 L’74, a partner in the tax and fiduciary department of the Philadelphia-based law firm of Blank, Rome, Comisky & McCauley LLP, chaired two panels at a professional-education seminar of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants in December.
Michael C. West C’71 recently assumed duties as executive director of a large assisted-living center in Arlington, Va.; part of the Sunrise Assisted Living chain of properties, it is home to almost 200 retired seniors from all over the country.
Barbara A. Podell CW’72 has joined the Philadelphia law firm of Berger & Montague as a shareholder, where she specializes in securities class-action litigation. She lives with her husband and 15-year-old son in Bala Cynwyd, Pa., and Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Dr. Harry Gruber C’73 M’77 is the chief executive and chair of Kintera Inc., an Internet marketing-services provider for nonprofit organizations, based in San Diego. Until 15 years ago, he worked as a physician and a medical researcher. Before launching Kintera, he founded several other companies, including Intervu Inc. and Viagene. He was named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year in 1990.
Hon. Steven M. Jaeger C’73 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I was recently elected a judge of the District Court of Nassau County in New York. I also serve on the board of trustees of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, Inc. I continue to live in Manhasset Hills with my wife, Peggy, and our son, Robert, who is a freshman at Babson College.”
Martin E. Lybecker GL’73 has joined the international law firm of Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering as partner, resident in its Washington office. His specialty is financial institutions and investment management. Previously he was co-chair of the financial-services group of Ropes & Gray.
Elizabeth Berryman Minkoff CW’73 and her husband, William T. Minkoff Jr. welcomed twin sons Peter McBride Minkoff and Brennan Berryman Minkoff on Nov. 1. Elizabeth practices health law in Nashville and Bill is a Delta Air Lines 767 captain.
Dr. Gruia-Catalin Roman EE’73 GEE’74 Gr’76 is chair and professor of computer science at Washington University in St. Louis. He was recently named to the editorial board of Transactions on Software Engineering and Methodology, a quarterly journal of the Association of Computing Machinery.
George P. Stamas W’73 became a venture partner of New Enterprise Associates, a venture-capital firm based in Reston, Va. Previously he was vice-chair of Deutsche Banc Alex Brown Inc.; he has joined the advisory board of DB Capital Partners, Inc., Deutsche Bank’s private-equity arm. He is also a director and investor in the Baltimore Orioles Baseball Club, a director and minority owner of the Washington Capitals and the Washington Wizards, and a co-founding member of the executive committee of Washington-Baltimore Olympics 2012.
Kim Johnson Gross CW’74 is a co-founding editor of Chic Simple Ltd., which has published 23 books since 1992. She will be an editorial director of a new Chic Simple magazine ‘outsert,’ which will cover apparel, home, lifestyle, and travel, and is to be polybagged with selected subscriber issues of four Hearst titles, House Beautiful, Marie Claire, 0 (the Oprah magazine), and Redbook. The first two issues will be in October and December.
Dr. Les Salwen C’74 M’80 <[email protected]> e-mails, “We’ve recently been in touch with University President Dr. Judith Rodin, the editors of The Daily Pennsylvanian, and members of Penn’s Hillel where a bone marrow drive was conducted for my wife, Dr. Ruth Spector W’82, on Feb. 28. For those Ashkenazi Jewish Penn alumni who’d like to be tested as potential marrow donors to help my wife and best friend, who is suffering from acute myeloblastic leukemia, please go to (www.helpruthienow.com). Testing involves obtaining a smear of cheek cells by cotton swab. Our unique genetic profiles and under-representation in national and world marrow-donor registries places us all in jeopardy. Save a life, please: the ultimate mitzvah.”
Dr. Cynthia Aaron Glassman Gr’75 e-mails, “In January I was appointed by President Bush and sworn in as a commissioner at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Needless to say, it is quite an interesting time to be at the SEC, and I am really enjoying my new position.”
Rev. Dr. William C. Hale G’75 Gr’78 <[email protected]> completed a residency year in clinical pastoral education at William Beaumont Hospital outside Detroit and is now bereavement coordinator for Odyssey Healthcare of Detroit.
Dr. Robert E. Lending C’75 was recently elected president of Arizona Community Physicians, the largest physician group in Tucson. Started in 1994 by him and eight other independent MD practitioners, “it is physician-owned, physician-governed group practice without walls, comprised of 80 primary-care MDs and 500 employees, and is in the top 150 corporations in the state.” Rob has an active internal-medicine practice, enjoys the Tucson climate, especially biking, hiking, and gardening.
Aldonna Ambler SW’76, president of Ambler Growth Strategy Consultants in Cherry Hill, N.J., in November was named one of the 2001 Women of Distinction by the Philadelphia Business Journal and the Philadelphia chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners. In March she spoke at the Philadelphia chapter of the Institute of Management Consultants on “Becoming a Better Rainmaker.”
Alan Beller L’76 in January was appointed director of the corporation-finance division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He was also appointed to the newly established position of senior counselor there. An expert on corporate and securities law, he was a partner in the New York office of the law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton.
Dr. Robert Fleisher GD’76 <[email protected]> e-mails these questions, “Will your hair fall out? Will sex be important? Will your memory fade? What is the meaning of life, and for that matter death?” He explores these and “many other relevant questions about middle age” in his newly published book, Forty Something.
Jonathan E. Perelman W’76 e-mails, “I founded the Wharton Club of New Jersey several months ago and now I am president of the club. We have 23 active founding members who are developing events and our Web site; corporate-sponsorship and membership committees have been formed. We expect to have our first gala affair this May. We are currently seeking new members as well as corporate sponsorship. Please contact me at <[email protected]> for additional information.”
Mark A. Daniele W’77, a partner with the law firm of McCarter & English, LLP, in Newark, N.J., has been elected chair of the Raritan Bay Medical Center, which maintains hospitals in Perth Amboy and Old Bridge.
Stanford R. Solomon C’77 writes, “In May 1990, after practicing with another firm for nearly 10 years, I started my own law firm. It has grown to 10 lawyers and eight legal assistants. Our practice is focused on all types of dispute resolution, with particular emphasis on complex commercial litigation and family and marital law. The Solomon Tropp Law Group, P.A., has achieved an AV rating and is listed in Martindale Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Law Firms. My eldest daughter, Beryl Aliza Solomon C’02, graduates this month as a history major. My daughter, Shayna Marlee, is a high-school junior participating in the School Year Abroad program sponsored by Philips Exeter Academy, and is currently in Zaragoza, Spain. My son, Isaac Barret, is an eighth grader at the Hillel School of Tampa and is eagerly awaiting his passage to high school. My wife Sabrina, who is also a lawyer in her own right, and I are looking forward to participating in my 25th Class Reunion in conjunction with Beryl’s celebrated graduation from Penn.”
Kenneth W. Taber W’77 has been elected one of five members of the supervisory board of Salans, a 350-attorney international law firm with offices in New York, Paris, London, Warsaw and five other European capitals. Ken also now co-chairs Salans’ New York litigation practice.
Ken Yun C’77 reports he was recently named a member of KPMG’s International Council.
William Friedman W’79 <[email protected]> is president and part-owner of Portfab LLC, doing business as The Wenig Company, a Bronx-based manufacturer of sheet-metal products, including custom convector covers and radiator enclosures for commercial construction in the Northeast. He has been involved with several Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York manufacturing companies since graduation. Bill has been married to Annette Jaffe for 16 years, and they have two beautiful girls, JJ (seven) and Cami (four); they live in Sands Point, N.Y.
Dr. Gary B. Kaplan C’79 is chief of mental health and behavioral sciences at the Providence (R.I.) Veterans’ Administration Medical Center and an associate professor in the psychiatry, human behavior, and molecular pharmacology; physiology; and biotechnology departments at Brown Medical School. He co-edited Brain Circuitry and Signaling in Psychiatry: Basic Science and Clinical Implications,published last year by the American Psychiatric Press. He writes, “The 1990s, appropriately termed The Decade of the Brain, witnessed unprecedented advances in our knowledge of psychiatric neuroscience. Yet with every advance, we realized that we were still in the beginning stages of a much longer journey. This text chronicles the next step.”
Dr. Chris F. Kemerer W’79 is the David M. Roderick Professor of Information Systems at the University of Pittsburgh. He has been named editor in chief of Information Systems Research, an international journal for the theory and research of information systems.
David D. Langfitt C’79 was elected to the partnership of the Philadelphia law firm of Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP, in March. A member of the litigation department, he concentrates his practice on complex-commercial, professional-liability, environmental, and criminal litigation. Recently he served as co-chair of the environmental-law committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. He wrote “Ineffective Assistance of Counsel in Death Penalty Cases,” published in the fall 2000 edition of Litigation, a journal of the ABA. David is secretary of the Mural Arts Program of Philadelphia and serves on the board of Ralston House, which provides health care for the elderly poor.
Adam Owett C’79 e-mails, “Most recently I was nominated for a Grammy Award for Lady Day: The Complete Billie Holiday on Columbia, 1933-1944, for Best Boxed Recording Package. I also married Maria Kazarinove, the artist (marshamarsha.com), last August. Since my last correspondence, I have moved back from London to New York. I left my position as a global creative director for Grey Worldwide in November of 1999 to join Sony Music Entertainment at their New York headquarters. At Sony I’m senior vice president of creative services, which means I head up various departments in New York and Los Angeles for all Sony labels (Columbia, Epic, Sony Classical, Loud, etc.), including CD art and imaging, TV and radio production (projects such as the controversial Bob Dylan TV commercial), advertising, Web and DVD design and production, artist imaging, media buying and planning, graphic-arts production, and other marketing services. Lastly, in addition to my duties at Sony Music, I now teach entertainment concept and design at the School of Visual Arts in New York, am a member of the board of Gracie Square Hospital, and a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.”
Eugene Podsiadlo W’79 was president of Warburg Pincus Funds and managing director of Warburg Pincus/Credit Suisse Asset Management from 1994 till last year. In November he was elected to the board of American Capital Strategies Ltd., a publicly traded buyout and mezzanine fund based in Bethesda, Md.
Kathleen McKee Watson C’79, Bryn Mawr, Pa., in March was appointed vice president for development for the Regional Performing Arts Center in Philadelphia. The center owns and operates the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and manages the Academy of Music. Previously she served as vice president for development for The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since 1994.
1980s
Sanford J. Davis W’80, Guttenberg, N.J., was named partner of the law firm of Cummings & Lockwood in March. He joined the firm in 2000 as counsel in the corporate, venture-capital, and tax groups in its Stamford, Conn., office. Previously he was senior tax counsel at the law firm of McGovern & Associates in Greenwich.
Adam Levine C’80 <[email protected]> has been a historical consultant to the Philadelphia Water Department since 1998, helping organize its archives and researching the history of the city’s sewer system. He has given numerous lectures on the sewers, and recently helped curate an exhibit celebrating the department’s 200th anniversary; it is on view at the Municipal Services Building, 15th and Arch Streets, until October. Adam is also an award-winning garden writer. He lives in Rose Valley, Pa., with his partner of 14 years, Tom Borkowski.
Dr. Nancy Swartz GEd’80 GM’92, Philadelphia, an ophthalmologist, has joined part-time Eye Doctors of Lancaster, in Lancaster, Pa. She also teaches at Wills Eye Hospital, where she practices as a cosmetic physician.
Charles W. Tricomi C’80 in January became a partner of the international law firm Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood LLP. He joined the firm in 1998, and practices in the areas of securitization and structured finance, focusing on asset- and mortgage-backed securities, with emphasis on the securitization of residential mortgage loans.
Barry Coffman W’81 writes, “After 15 years at Fidelity Investments as an analyst and portfolio manager, I am joining a start-up investment firm, Boldwater Capital, as a co-founding partner. Our new firm will be raising a hedge fund, focusing on distressed and high-yield debt securities. Linda and I continue to live outside of Boston with our three children, Alexandra (13), David (eight), and Scott (six).”
Dr. Gregg A. Lichtenstein C’81 Gr’92 <[email protected]> was recently appointed chief executive officer of Leveler, LLC, a Chicago-based high-technology startup company. It designs and markets patented products that protect electronic devices from damage caused by electrical-power quality problems. Prior to this, Gregg was founding president of Collaborative Strategies, a consulting firm that worked with over 500 businesses in more than 70 industries, nonprofit organizations and local, state, and national governments worldwide on entrepreneurship, new ventures, business strategy, marketing and new-product development. An expert in business incubation and business networks, he wrote Incubating New Enterprises (published by the Aspen Institute), and numerous articles.
Anne Wenzel C’81 GCP’85 recently started a new job as president and executive director of the Western Colorado Community Foundation, ending her 17-year career as a consultant to philanthropic and nonprofit organizations in order to run one. She lives with her husband, David Miller, and two school-age children in Edwards.
Michael D. DiCandilo W’82 <[email protected]> has been promoted to senior vice president and chief financial officer of AmerisourceBergen Corp., the pharmaceutical-services company. He lives in Berwyn, Pa., with his wife of 18 years, Allison Feigin DiCandilo C’82, and their two future Quakers, Ben (13) and Jennifer (nine).
Robert D. Fox C’82 is a partner of the Bala Cynwyd (Pa.) law firm of Manko, Gold, Katcher & Fox, LLP, which handles environmental and land-use matters. The firm changed to this new name in March to recognize his accomplishments. A member of the management committee and a partner for 11 years, he has been with the firm since its founding in 1989. And he has taught environmental law at Penn since 1988. Robert serves on the executive committee of the Lower Merion Conservancy and on the Lower Merion Township Planning Commission.
Gary L. Lozoff L’82 in January was elected of counsel in the Philadelphia law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP. Resident in the Philadelphia office, he concentrates his practice in real estate law. He joined the firm in 1999.
Jeffrey G. Schwartz C’82 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I am an attorney employed by the Travelers Insurance Co., and living in West Hartford, Conn., with my wife, Laurel, and our three children, Bradley (eight), Rebecca (five), and Jonathan (seven months). I do see a few alumni in Connecticut, but I hope to share memories with many more on campus this month. It can’t be 20 years, can it?”
Dr. Diane J. Johnson C’83 <[email protected]> e-mails, “It doesn’t seem possible that almost 20 years has gone by.” After participating in the 125th Celebration of Women at Penn, she thought it was time to reconnect with her alma mater. (After graduating her first stop was a career in corporate public relations with CBS, then ABC Television, segueing into a career in development and non-profit management, while she earned her M.S. from The New School.) Over the last 10 years she created an international management-consulting firm that specializes in organizational development, program assessment and development, project management, and diversity. In May, Diane earned her Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies from Tufts University. She looks forward to having more time, once again, to serve on several national boards and philanthropic projects.
Elizabeth Loeb C’83 and her husband, Henry Docter, are happy to announce the birth of their son, Jonah Ethan, on Jan. 9. He joins big sister Hannah, who recently turned two. Elizabeth is an attorney with the environmental-enforcement section of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington.
Mary Beth Lonergan C’83 <[email protected]> writes that after 20 years she is moving from Philadelphia and, with her girlfriend, Lori, buying an historic home in Bordentown, N.J. A planner, she is chief of housing services at the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing.
Marla Rossman Milgram C’83 <[email protected]>, her husband, Richard, and four-year-old sister Lauren report the birth of Caroline Jolie on Dec. 22. Marla is assistant general counsel for Sanchez Computer Associates, a banking-software company in Malvern, Pa., where she specializes in computer, corporate, and international law. She would love to hear from old Penn friends.
Cantor Howard Shalowitz C’83 was recently elected president-elect of the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis; it is larger than 20 other state bar associations. He will take office this month and become president in May next year. This summer he will lead a trip to Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, and be the guest cantor in the Great Synagogue in Warsaw.
Elizabeth Daley Draghi C’84 and her husband, Gary B. Draghi, are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Carolina Mary, on Jan. 8; she joins her brother, Thomas Richard Ward, and sister, Isabella Rose. Elizabeth is corporate counsel for UBS Realty Investors LLC in Hartford, Conn. Gary, a chartered financial analyst and CPA, is a principal investment officer in the pension-funds management division of the Office of the State Treasurer.
Tsiwen Law L’84, an associate with the Philadelphia law firm of Hwang & Associates, P.C., has been appointed to a seat on the local Workforce Investment Board, a commission convened under the requirements of the Workforce Investment Act, which calls for greater accountability and private-sector responsiveness in the expenditure of public-workforce development funds.
Sophia Kelly Shultz C’84 <[email protected]> e-mails, “My life has been an adventure ever since I married David T. Shultz C’85. That was in 1988. He is now a master sergeant in the U.S. Army (Active Guard Army) and is stationed in Chicago. I’m proud to have him defending our country, but I’d be lying if I said I was anxiety-free about his fate in the days after September 11. I continue my work as a freelance artist in Pottsville, Pa., and look after our splendid eight-year-old daughter, Emily. I have a Web site (www.discdog.com/sophia) which features my fantasy and science fiction artwork, and my illustrations were at last published in DNA Publications’ latest issue of Dreams of Decadence, a vampire-themed magazine. Last summer my needlework was awarded a judges’ choice award at the 2001 World Science Fiction Convention.”
Joseph T. Simone C’84 <[email protected]> is a partner with the international law firm of Baker & McKenzie and has been based in Hong Kong and Beijing since 1988; his practice focuses on intellectual property and commercial law, mainly relating to China. He has been active most recently in lobbying in China and elsewhere on anti-counterfeiting. He and his wife, Stefania, now have two children, Giulia and Tommaso.
Peter H. Glick W’85 is president and chief executive officer of Cohesive Technologies Inc.; based in Franklin, Mass., it manufactures and markets liquid-chromatography techniques for pharmaceutical drug-discovery. Previously he was president of Primedica Corp., a contract research organization.
Robert Mahoney L’85, Bridgewater, N.J., is a partner in the Somerville law firm of Norris, McLaughlin &Marcus, P.A., who concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation. In January he spoke on “Internet Strategies for the Paralegal in New Jersey,” at a seminar sponsored by the Institute for Paralegal Education.
Tremain Smith C’85 e-mails, “Just an update on some exhibits of my work, if any of you are in New Hampshire or Maine this spring and summer. From April 13 through June 2, I will have eight pieces in the show, Oil & Wax: Art of Encaustic Painting, at the Sharon Arts Center in Peterborough, N.H. And from June 16 through July 6, I will be on the beautiful island of Deer Isle, Maine exhibiting at the Turtle Gallery. If any of you are in the vicinity, the addresses and phone numbers of these galleries are listed on my Web site (www.tremainsmith.com). I have also just uploaded 2002 work, if you would like to see the new work.”
Dr. Robert A. Woodbury II C’85 M’89 has a thriving solo dermatology practice in Greenwich, Conn. He has been married for 15 years to Jessica Miller Woodbury Nu’86, who works with him as an RN and the office manager; they have four children, Holly (three), twins Mikey and Davy (five), and Robby (13).
Janet Byron C’86 e-mails, “I have been appointed managing editor of California Agriculture magazine, a peer-reviewed science journal published by the University of California’s Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (danr.ucop.edu/calag). I was also recently elected to the board of Greenbelt Alliance, the San Francisco Bay Area’s open-space and urban-planning organization. I live in Berkeley.”
Riza Dekidjiev Jr. C’86 <riza@dekid jiev.com> recently started a private fund to invest in undervalued technology companies. For 15 years he was an investment banker, most recently with Salomon Smith Barney, where he was a director and spearheaded its e-commerce efforts. He now lives in Scarsdale, N.Y., and is married with four children. He misses his ultimate-frisbee days at Penn.
Maureen Gorsen C’86, a member of the land-development group of the downtown Los Angeles law firm of Weston, Benshoof, Rochefort, Rubalcava & MacCuish LLP, was made partner in January. Her practice focuses on environmental compliance and land use.
Daniel R. Guadalupe L’86, a partner with the law firm of Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus in Somerville, N.J., was honored in February by the Hispanic Bar Foundation for having served as its president from 1997 to 2001.
Elyssa Kane C’86 and Jeffrey Levine W’84 joyfully announce the birth of their first child, Dahlia Kane Levine, on Jan. 29. “She has her mother’s brown eyes and her father’s long eyelashes.” They live in Ardmore, Pa., with an affectionate Burmese cat, and continue fixing up a 1905 house. Elyssa has left her job at a fundraising and strategic-planning consulting firm and is considering her options for the next position.
Andrew J. Moley W’86 is chief financial officer of Inkra Networks, a Fremont, Calif., based provider of services for Internet data centers. Previously he was CFO and subsequently president and CEO of Egreetings Network; he led the company through its merger with American Greetings.com last year.
Dr. Catherine C. Schifter Gr’86 is an associate professor of education at Temple University. She is working on establishing a Teaching and Learning Center there. She and her husband, Stephan Schifter W’67 WG’71, live in Philadelphia with their 19-year-old cat, Sergei.
Jonathan Shaffer C’86 <[email protected]> is a partner with Smith, Pachter, McWhorter & Allen, P.L.C. in Vienna, Va., where he practices in the areas of government contracts and construction law. He recently received the national achievement award of the National Contract Management Association; he is co-chair of its alternate-dispute-resolution committee. He is also a member of the ABA’s public-contract-law section’s council and a co-chair of its electronic-commerce committee. Jonathan lives in the Washington area with his wife, Robin, and son Daniel, Class of 2015.
Jessica Miller Woodbury Nu’86 has been married to Dr. Robert A. Woodbury II C’85 M’89 for 15 years; they live in Greenwich, Conn., with four children, Holly (three), twins Mikey and Davy (five), and Robby (13), and six cats. She works with Robert as an RN and office manager.
Barry Bear C’87 <[email protected]> and Anne Mavor Nu’87 GNu’91 “proudly announce the birth of our first child, Ronald Thomas Bear, on Sept. 5.”
Rabbi Faith Joy Smith Dantowitz EAS’87 and her husband, David, are thrilled to announce the birth of their fourth son, Daniel Jonathan Dantowitz, on Feb. 27. Named in memory of Faith’s sister, Deborah, and her grandfather, John, he completes the Dantowitz brothers’ quartet. In addition to his full-time work in computers, Dad is a barbershopper, with the Big Apple Chorus in Manhattan, and looks forward to welcoming the boys into the chorus one day. Faith works at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, N.J.
Keith E. Gottfried W’87, senior vice president for law and corporate affairs at Borland Software Corp. in Scotts Valley, Calif., has joined the board and policy council of the Business Software Alliance, an international organization of software and e-commerce developers (www.bsa.org).
Bill Magness L’87 has been named partner in the law firm of Casey & Gentz, L.L.P., in Austin, Tex. He has been practicing in the telecommunications field since moving back to Texas in 1991; prior to that he worked as a criminal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s office in Detroit. He and his wife Melissa Schenker have a three-year-old daughter, Desmond Ruby Magness.
Carra Ericsson Castagnero C’88 <[email protected]> and Steven John Castagnero EAS’88 send their deepest sympathies to those touched by September 11. Just hours after the tragedies, they “traveled the abandoned highways of 95 North, to attend a grandfather’s funeral. Suddenly, this loss did not seem so great. In spite of unimaginable events, 2001 was a nice year. Jake (seven) completed his first triathlon: Steve completed his second. Carra ran the Rock-n-Roll Half Marathon. Steve accepted a position with Progress Energy in Raleigh, N.C. Skiing with the children in December ended a wonderful and tumultuous year.”
Dr. Peter Fetterolf GEE’88 Gr’90 is vice president of engineering for Cereva Networks, a developer, based in Marlborough, Mass., of next-generation storage systems for large enterprises, service providers and carriers. Previously he was a co-founder and vice president of software for Ignitus Communications, an optical networking start-up acquired by Lucent Technologies in 2000.
Joel Kallett W’88 WG’89 <[email protected]> and his wife Heidi joyfully announce the birth of their daughter, Jordan McLin Kallett. Joel, Heidi, big brother Ethan (two), and Jordan live in Vienna, Va., where Joel is an investment banker with Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown.
Brian M. Katz C/W’88 was elected to the partnership of the Philadelphia law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP in January. Resident in the Philadelphia office, he concentrates his practice in securities law, venture-capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate representation. He joined the firm in 1992.
Dr. Yeur-Hur Lai GNu’88, associate professor and acting dean in the College of Nursing at the Taipei Medical University in Taiwan, is the 2002 recipient of the Oncology Nursing Society’s International Award for Contributions to Cancer Care. This recognizes her outstanding contributions to the improvement of cancer care in her home country. She has served in leadership roles in the Oncology Nursing Society in Taiwan, and currently is chief of its education committee.
Brett D. Orlove C’88 <[email protected]> and Deborah Orlove happily announce the birth of Alexander Easton Orlove on Feb. 13 in Washington; he joins his sister, Elliotte Finn (two).
Ira Rosen C’88 e-mails, “Our BiteTheWaxTadpole house-concert series continues with several summer concerts which will include several Pennsylvania bands, including The Jellybricks, Parallax Project, 1020 and Hoppers13 (the last two are regulars on the Philly scene). We’d love to see some more Penn friends (old and new) join us in central New Jersey for these shows. Reach us at <[email protected]>, and visit our new house concert Web site at (www.mydiningroom.com).”
Joelle Sellner C’88 married Ira Goldklang L’90 on Nov. 17. The wedding party included Tracy Adler Craig C’88, Meeyoung Toh EAS’88, Doug Mastroianni L’90, and Solomon Mangolini L’90, and Bryan Takamoto W’85 and Cortez Smith L’90 attended. Joelle <[email protected]> is a copywriter and has written several freelance episodes for an ABC animated series and Ira <[email protected]> is vice president of business and legal affairs at Morgan Creek Productions; they live in Los Angeles.
Natalie Wheatall Welsh GPU’88 was elected partner of the Connecticut law firm of Shipman & Goodwin LLP in February. Resident in the Hartford office, she is a member of the firm’s business department and the ERISA and employee-benefits practice group.
Alan S. Adler C’89 <[email protected]> e-mails, “In September I became vice president of Cabinet Industries, Inc., a television cabinet-maker in Danville, Pa., that was founded by my late-grandfather, Joseph Adler, in 1946. Stanley Adler W’54 is CEO. I live in Lewisburg with my wife, Debra, and sons, Nathan and Eli.”
Heidi Hookman Brodsky C’89 <[email protected]> and Michael Brodsky W’88 welcomed daughter Number Three, Jillian Paige on Feb. 11. Jillian joins big sisters, Alexa (five) and Claire (three). All of the Brodskys are doing well and living in Bethesda, Md.
Nicole D. Galli C’89 L’92 in January was elected of counsel in the Philadelphia law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP. A trial lawyer in the Philadelphia office, she specializes in intellectual property, consumer-fraud class action, and antitrust litigation and counseling. She joined the firm in 1996.
Elisa Minsk Hartstein C’89 is happy to announce the birth of her baby boy, Zachary Shalom, on Oct. 29. Zack joins big sisters Eliana (four) and Dalia (two). Elisa and her husband, Dr. Morris Hartstein, live in St. Louis with their three children. Morris practices ophthalmology at St. Louis University and Elisa is the president and co-founder of Expressiva Nursingwear (www.expressiva.com). While nursing her first baby, she became frustrated with the unattractive options in nursing wear and teamed up with long-time friend Ed Hyken WG’95 to launch the company, which designs and sells fashionable clothing for breastfeeding mothers. Elisa would love to hear from old friends and can be reached at <[email protected]>.
Dr. Arthur L. Jenkins III C’89 M’93 <[email protected]> e-mails that he completed his neurosurgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, a spinal-surgery fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, and has returned to Mount Sinai where he is an assistant professor of neurosurgery, specializing in complex spinal disorders. He leads a laboratory for the treatment of spinal-cord injuries and the development of minimally invasive techniques for spinal surgery. And he was recently sworn in as an honorary NYPD police surgeon. Arthur and his wife of almost nine years, Linda Chase, will move into their new apartment on Madison Avenue. “I regularly work with other alumni, including Laura Schultz C’90, Dr. Caleb Lippman C’91 M’95, and Dr. Raj Shrivastava M’97.”
Scott Krase W’89 and Christie Colello Krase W’89 are thrilled to announce the birth of their daughter, Piper Sunshine Krase, on Nov. 5. She joins big brother Jackson (five) and big sister Arin (two) in their new house in Chappaqua, N.Y. “Scott actually enjoys the commute and still works in the city as a managing director at Oak Hill Advisors. Christie is currently taking some time off from teaching to enjoy life, with three kids instead of 24. We can be reached via e-mail at <[email protected]>.”
Karen D. McDonnell C’89 was elected to the partnership of the Philadelphia law firm of Pepper Hamilton LLP in January. Resident in the Philadelphia office, she focuses her practice on defense litigation in pharmaceutical-products liability and on counseling regarding FDA regulations. She joined the firm in 1994.
Brad Reis EAS’89 GEng’92 e-mails, “In the 13 years since graduation, I went to work for GE Astrospace, got my master’s from Penn at night, and then got fed up with typical corporate hierarchy. After leaving GE, I moved to Landenberg, Pa., and have been working for the last 10 years for W. L. Gore & Associates (makers of Gore-Tex products), doing new-product development for cellphone materials. While it ain’t the cure for cancer, it certainly has been a wild experience, allowing me to travel the globe and explore my creative side. I married a wonderful woman almost nine years ago (what she’s doing with me, I have no idea), and we have the world’s most beautiful little boy, Connor Evan, who is now 18 months old. He has the brightest, bluest eyes you’ve ever seen—which is funny, because his Mom and Dad both have brown. Hmm … While he doesn’t have his dad’s burly physique—he’s skimming the bottom of the charts—he is third-percentile on height, leaving hope that he’ll be the first Jewish point guard for the Knicks. They need all the help they can get.”
Dr. Gregory Tino GM’89, associate professor of medicine and director of the pulmonary-outpatient practices at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in December led Philadelphia’s first information seminar for sufferers of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Leading national researchers on IPF and local medical professionals were present, including, Dr. Robert M. Kotloff GM’91, associate professor of medicine and medical director of the lung-transplant program at HUP, and Dr. David Zisman, associate professor of medicine and a member of the lung-transplant program. For the approximately 50,000 Americans who suffer from IPF (nearly double the number of people with cystic fibrosis), there is no known cause or cure; it is difficult to diagnose and an estimated two-thirds of people die within five years of diagnosis. Himself the son of a victim of pulmonary fibrosis, Dr. Tino is vice-chair of the national Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis.
1990s
Dr. Melissa P. Barnes C’90 GEd’91 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I recently completed my Ph.D. in clinical psychology. I also completed requirements for New York state school-psychologist certification. I accomplished all of this at Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y. I am currently employed as a counselor at Polytechnic University’s Farmingdale and Brooklyn campuses.”
Edwin F. Chociey Jr. C’90 became a partner of the Morristown, N.J., law firm of Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP in March. He concentrates his practice on commercial, employment, and health-care litigation.
Ira Goldklang L’90 married Joelle Sellner C’88 on Nov. 17. The wedding party included Tracy Adler Craig C’88, Meeyoung Toh EAS’88, Doug Mastroianni L’90, and Solomon Mangolini L’90, and Bryan Takamoto W’85 and Cortez Smith L’90 attended. Ira <[email protected]> is vice president of business and legal affairs at Morgan Creek Productions and Joelle <[email protected]> is a copywriter and has written several freelance episodes for an ABC animated series; they live in Los Angeles.
David Kekst C’90 e-mails, “I don’t have much to say other than that I am living happily in Los Angeles, where I am a vice president of administrative affairs at the William Morris Agency, and that my daughter, Hannah Brooke, just turned two.”
Heerak Christian Kim C’90 <[email protected]> is a Ph.D. candidate in Hebrew, Jewish, and early Christian studies at the University of Cambridge, living in Jesus College. Invited by the Cambridge University Korean Society to give a lecture to its members, in January he delivered a paper, “New Testament Theology in the Context of the Korean Past as a Colonized People: An Examination of the Past Experience and Present Ethical Responsibility.” It is being prepared for publication. He was also elected an international academic officer of the Cambridge University Students Union for the next academic year.
D. Brian Krier EAS/W’90 <[email protected]> and his wife, Patricia, announce the birth of their first child, Rachel Swan Krier, on March 30, 2001.
Aaron Marks C/W’90 <[email protected]> and Elaine Brichta Marks C’91 are proud to announce the birth of their son, Benjamin Howard, on Nov. 29; he was welcomed home by big brother Jared (three). The family lives in Scarsdale, N.Y.
Ellen Seiler Brody W’91 <[email protected]>, Todd Brody C’90,and Benjamin Brody (Class of 2021?) are pleased to announce the birth of Casey Melissa (Class of 2024?) on Jan. 3. Ellen and Todd are both attorneys in New York: she works at Roberts & Holland LLP and he at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP.
Patricia Dawson Nu’91 GNu’97 <[email protected]> e-mails, “My husband, Eric, and I welcomed our second child, Aaron Nils Dawson, on Dec. 5; his weight was 8lbs. 3oz. Our first child, Gillian Catherine, two years old, is slowly adjusting to the reality of no longer being an only child. I am working as a neonatal nurse practitioner at Oregon Health and Science University and Emanuel Children’s Hospital here in Portland.”
Randi Michel C’91 writes, “I celebrated my 10th anniversary at the William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills, Calif., where I represent actors, musicians, and comedians in film. I was just made a vice president in the motion-picture department. Last fall I was on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter and named one of Hollywood’s ‘Next Generation,’ as one of the top 35 executives under the age of 35 in the business.”
Jodi Krasilovsky Miller C’91 WG’97 e-mails, “My husband, David, and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Benjamin Daniel Miller, on Dec. 30. His proud big sister, Rebecca, is three years old and loves having a new playmate. I am currently taking a break from the business world to stay home full-time with them, and David is finishing up a neuroradiology fellowship at Penn. We are all doing well and living in Wynnewood, Pa. We would love to hear from old Penn friends at <[email protected]>.”
Christopher F. Mitchell GAr’91 has been promoted to director and associate principal of the Los Angeles office of Studios Architecture, an international architectural firm. He and his wife, Sandra Page Mitchell CGS’93 GAr’94, an associate and project designer, set up the office in 1999, after having worked in the San Francisco office for five years; they met in New York in 1995 while both worked for Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. He continues his international work as design principal for the Los Angeles office projects, serving entertainment, financial, technology, and university groups. They enjoy Los Angeles, and write that their biggest distraction continues to be their new, “buff-colored” cocker spaniel, Blu.
Tom Patterson C’91 <[email protected]> e-mails, “My wife, Kristin Lamas Patterson, and I will celebrate our six-year anniversary in June, two days before our daughter, Ella Jane, celebrates her first birthday. Last fall, I joined Nelnet Inc, an $8 billion student-loan company, as vice president responsible for brand partnerships in New England and upstate New York. Before that I spent the summer home with my daughter after my e-learning start-up folded last March. I met and married Kristin while working in marketing for GE Plastics in the Berkshires, and, before moving to Maine, we spent three years in Minneapolis, where I was Internet manager at US Bancorp Piper Jaffray.”
Christine White C’91 <[email protected]> e-mailed in January, “It is with relief that I welcome 2002, since last year brought many stresses and life changes. One example: I joined over 700 Ariba employees in the first of their many layoffs last April. In true Silicon Valley style, however, I jumped right back in the technology fray and landed a much better job at BEA Systems, where I am currently serving with their worldwide-partner programs team. My husband, Colin, and I are both still enjoying our Bay Area Peninsula life in sunny San Carlos, although we do occasionally have pangs of longing for the old East Coast traditions and friends we don’t connect with often enough. The constantly changing economic and employment horizon here in tech-laden San Jose keeps life interesting and dynamic. Looking forward to re-connecting with all the alums who have re-surfaced after the layoff boom. Please keep in touch.”
Dr. Sari Zimmer D’91 married Dr. Michael Block, an anesthesiologist. Dr. Cynthia Gilbert-Pattison D’91 was the maid of honor. Sari and Cynthia are partners in a pediatric dental practice in northern New Jersey.
Rep. Charles K. Djou C/W’92 e-mails, “I was recently selected by my caucus to serve as the minority floor leader of the Hawaii House of Representatives. I am the state representative for the 47th District (Kaneohe, Kahaluu). It is certainly interesting to be writing laws in the legislature after having practiced applying laws as an attorney for nearly five years.”
Karen Schub Epstein C/W’92 and Mark Epstein W’92 are excited to announce the birth of their daughter, Anna Blythe Epstein. “She arrived Dec. 4, at 7lbs. 3oz. and has already spread a ton of happiness. Mark is a managing director in the private-equity group of Banc of America Securities and Karen is the chief financial officer at Kaleidoscope Sports and Entertainment.”
Dr. Todd M. Fruchterman C’92 M’98 e-mails, “My wife, Tara, and I are proud to announce the birth of our first child, Shane Ronen. He arrived on Feb. 12 in Philadelphia and weighed in at 6lbs. 6oz.”
Andrew Hua C/W’92 G’97 WG’97 married Vivian Chang on July 14 in New York. Alumni in the wedding party included groomsmen Anthony Crowell C’92, Jason White C’93, and Thomas Chung W’92. Other alumni attending included Alice Segal C’92, Rachel Schuldiner C’92, Asaf Gola C/W’93, Francisco Verwoerd C’93, Edward Chung C’95, Roy Ku W’95, Christopher Crawford C’91 EAS/W’91 G’97 WG’97, Deborah Chan Moy WG’98, Alex Mou WG’98, Conrad Eberstein C’65 L’68, and Andrew Jacobson WG’93 and Marina Kunis-Jacobson G’93 WG’93. Andrew and Vivian live in New York, where he is a founding member and director of Axiom International Investors, an international-equity fund manager and hedge fund. Vivian is completing a master’s degree in real estate at Columbia University. They honeymooned in Greece, Turkey, and England.
Alon Kaplan C’92 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I recently sold my screenplay, Fugue, to Miramax Pictures. The script, about a brilliant medical student who mysteriously disappears, takes place at Penn.”
Ariann Siegel Lewis C’92 e-mails, “My husband, Rick, and I are excited to write you with information about the birth of our third child: Jacob Ross was born on Jan. 29, and weighed in at 9lbs. 8oz. He was welcomed with a tremendous amount of love by all, including his big brother Zachary (almost five) and big sister Jordana (two). We have a busy, but happy household.”
Dr. Daniel S. Polster C’92 and his wife Dr. Amy Polster, are thrilled to announce the birth of their first child, Julia Helen Polster, on Jan. 26. Proud uncle Dr. Josh Polster C’94 drove in from Baltimore to see his new niece. In the meantime, Dan is busy with his private psychiatric practice in the northeast Ohio area and Amy is completing her dermatology residency. Dan would love to hear from his Penn comrades at <[email protected]>.
Kathryn Stapleton C’92 <[email protected]> is pleased to announce her marriage to Todd Robinson on Sept. 23, 2000, and the birth of their beautiful daughter, Holly Elizabeth, on Nov. 12, 2001. The Robinson family lives in Dexter, Mich., which is a village outside of Ann Arbor.
Ali Jacobs Wice C’92 and her husband, Bobby, are delighted to announce the birth of their son, Maxwell Reed, on Dec. 29.
Marianne Alves C’93 <[email protected]> is approaching her sixth year as an analyst with the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington. She received her second master’s, in strategic intelligence, from the Joint Military Intelligence College in September, and in February she transferred from a temporary assignment supporting Operation Enduring Freedom to a permanent position in the Pentagon, serving as a regional expert for the Joint Staff. Marianne lives with her boyfriend, Jon, in Arlington.
Dr. Kristin Bencik Boudreau C’93 <[email protected]> and her husband, Dr. Jason Boudreau, proudly announce the birth of their son, Jake Ryan, on Oct. 25. 2001 was the “year of change” for Kristin. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital in June and moved to Milwaukee. “We bought a house, moved to Milwaukee, started ‘real’ jobs, and got a border collie puppy, all while I was six months pregnant. My due date was the day after my pediatric boards in Michigan, but fortunately my son was kind to me and came a week late. I am in private practice with the Children’s Medical Group in a suburb of Milwaukee. Jake is teaching me many things about pediatrics that we never learned in residency.”
Dan Cromie C’93, James Balling W’93, and Jonathan Yang C’93have been living, working, and playing music in New York since graduation. Since last September, along with guitarist Adam Lerner, they’ve been touring around the country full-time as The Booda Velvets (www.theboodavelvets.com). Signed to Gotham Records, their recently released album Headrush has “garnered critical acclaim.” In January they were featured as “Emerging Artists” at Tower Records nationwide, and their music has been played on MTV, NBC, and ESPN. See how their sounds have evolved since their days with Penn-Six, Rhinolift, and Abandon Earth. “E-mails welcome at <[email protected]>.”
Eli Faskha EAS/W’93 and Michael Silvera C’91 recently founded a company in Panama City that specializes in providing IT security to companies that communicate through the Internet; it is the certified training center in Central America and the Caribbean for all Check Point FireWall products. They can be reached at <[email protected]>.
Joshua Frank C’93 and Carolyn Friedman Frank C’93 on Jan. 19 welcomed the newest member of their family into the world, Matthew Phillip Frank C’2023 L’2026. “Mom, Dad, and son are doing great. Matthew’s mother is a partner in the law firm of Friedman, Rodman & Frank in Miami, specializing in plaintiffs’ personal injury, medical malpractice, and workers’ compensation cases. Matthew’s father is senior counsel at Ryder System, Inc., in Miami, specializing in labor and employment law. Dad always sings ‘The Red and Blue,’ ‘Drink a Highball,’ and some old Mask and Wig tunes to Matthew during his baths.”
Jenny Won Garcia C’93 <[email protected]> and Domingo Garcia are delighted to announce the birth of their second child, Gabriel Minwoo, on Sept. 16 in Palo Alto, Calif. Big brother Andrew, who is almost three, is thrilled with his little brother. Jenny recently left Vividence Corp., a Silicon Valley online testing and analytics firm, where she served as marketing communications manager, to stay at home full-time with her children.
Allison Volk Isaacman C’93 e-mails, “Drew and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Max Brent, on Nov. 26. Max joins big sister Emily who is two and [eight months]. I am having such a blast staying at home and witnessing all of their ‘firsts.’ Last year I started a business out of my home in Potomac, Md., selling personalized birth announcements, stationery, and gift items. If anyone lives in the area and has a stationery need or if you just want to say hello, feel free to contact me at <[email protected]>.”
Stacey Mayer C’93 <[email protected]> is pleased to announce that during one busy week this month she will receive her master’s degree from Columbia University and marry Nick Clemente, her boyfriend of the past eight years. They plan to remain in Manhattan.
Erik Paulino C’93 <[email protected]>e-mails he recently was appointed director of constituent services by the Brooklyn borough president.
Dana Marlin Roland W’93 and Seth Roland W’93 are proud to announce the birth of their daughter, Abigail Brooke Roland. “Abby was born at home on Jan. 3. She was 6lbs., 14oz. and 20 inches. She has her own Web site at (www.rolandfamily.net). The family happily resides in Pembroke Pines, Fla. We can be contacted at <[email protected]>.”
Eliza Feuerstein Schleifstein C’93 e-mails, “My husband, Todd, and I are pleased to announce the birth of our first child, Darcy Erica Schleifstein, on March 16—after 17 hours of labor, which included watching Penn lose to California in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Hope that does not affect her chances of entering Penn as a member of the Class of 2024. She weighed 6lbs. 6oz. and was 19 inches long.”
Dr. Erin Ziegler Schoor C’93 and Dr. Richard Schoor M’94 are thrilled to announce the birth of their first child, Alexis Danielle, on Jan. 11. Erin is a dermatologist and Rich is a male-infertility specialist on Long Island.
Julie Y. Shaffer C’93 and Brian Shaffer C’93 celebrated the birth of their daughter, Sabrina Audrey, on Nov. 7. “Sabrina loves to spit up on her Penn sweatshirt and is looking forward to her first visit to campus soon.”
Meredith Gavin Singer C’93 and her husband recently returned from an almost-three-year stint in Moscow and just bought their first house in Rockville, Md. She is now the manager for ITU and Europe/NIS programs at the Telecommunications Industry Association in Washington.
Dr. Jessica Zirkel-Rubin C’93 graduated with a doctorate in instructional media and technology from Columbia University Teachers College last May. In addition to her incredibly patient family and friends, she thanks fellow alumni Dr. Margaret Smith Crocco Gr’76 and Dr. Benjamin Bell EE’83 for their support and encouragement. Jessica is now manager of Web and multimedia development at the Newark Museum in New Jersey. She and her husband, Bryon Rubin WG’98, recently moved to Short Hills; he is director of corporate development and M&A at Viacom. They would love to hear from old friends and can be reached at <[email protected]>.
Christophe Charlier C/W’94 e-mails, “I married Nadejda Pronina in Moscow on Aug. 3. The wedding took place over two days with the religious ceremony in the Novodevichi Monastery, a beautiful monastery in the center of Moscow. I am still vice president of LV Finance, a small corporate-finance boutique that I co-founded in 1998. In addition, I recently became director of strategic development and M&A for Norilsk Nickel, Russia’s largest metals company (and the world’s largest producer of nickel and palladium). After my wedding and this new position, I am planning to stay in Moscow for a long time. I invite everyone to visit.”
Raj Chinai C/W’94 <[email protected]> and Priti Chinai C’95have moved from San Francisco to Boston, where Raj has started graduate school at Harvard. He is back in school with classmate, Rajit Malhotra C/W’94.
Denel Keister C’94 married Gary Bingel last October in Smithville N.J. Many alumni attended, including Caroline Koffler Geraci C’94and Sam Geraci W’93, Leslie Schneider Boen C’92 and Dr. Derek Boen V’98, Angel Bair C96 Nu’96 GNu’00, and Becki Young C’93.Denel and Gary now live in Conshohocken, Pa. “(Oh no! The suburbs!).” Denel writes it has taken her this long to send in an Alumni Note because she has been busy with her company, Upbeat Dance and Fitness, “teaching Philadelphians to foxtrot, salsa, kickbox, and spin,” and she would love to hear from friends at <[email protected]>.
Erika Hayflick Lowe C’94 <[email protected]> is an MBA (2002) candidate at the Anderson School at UCLA. She was married in Los Angeles in September.
Mary Elizabeth Kelly Maye C’94 SW’96 married Diarmuid L. Maye, from County Roscommon, Ireland, on Dec. 1., a record-breaking 73-degree day, in her hometown of Boston. Fellow alumni present included her brother Matt Kelly C’93 as groomsman, bridesmaid Heather Voelkel Youngblood SW’96, cousin Michael Hammill GEd’97, Robert Morris W’94, Maura Mimnagh C’94, and Amy Manion Swift C’93 and Tom Swift C’95. Mary Beth is a clinical social worker in Boston and Diarmuid manages the Irish pub, McGann’s.
Dr. Michael Peck C’94 and Davora Peck C’94 are proud to announce the arrival of their second child, Matthew Ryan, on Feb. 27, at 12:50 p.m.; he weighed 7lbs. 5oz. He joins big sister Marci, who is two. The Pecks live in Irvine, Calif., where Michael continues his general-surgery practice.
Dr. Eric Rubin C’94 married Aimee Taxin Rubin C’95 on June 29, 1997. This was, Eric e-mails, “during my fourth year of medical school at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. In 1999 I began my radiology residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia; currently I am chief resident in radiology, and will continue at Jefferson from 2003-04 as a fellow in cardiovascular and interventional radiology. Even more important, however, is that I would like to announce the birth of our first child, Andrew Spencer Rubin, on Jan. 1. He has given new meaning to our lives—not just the lack of sleep.”
Michael Shields WG’94 is “proud to announce the release of my first CD, Corporate Punks Amuck, with bandmates of The Accountants (for professional reasons I’m using a pseudonym on the CD), where I play rhythm and acoustic guitar. The music is pure, serious rock & roll, and the lyrics will definitely touch everyone who has spent five minutes in corporate America. Be sure to check out (www.cparock.com): that’s me, second from the left. There will be news of the band and some samples of the music that can be downloaded. Of course you can buy a copy of the CD on the site. When I’m not out rockin’ the corporate world with music, I’m the CFO of Kenmark Optical, Inc., in Louisville, Ky., where I’ve been (gulp!) since graduation; I can always be reached at <[email protected]>.”
Colleen Sullivan C’94 <[email protected]> and her husband, Joseph, are proud to announce the birth of their first son, Alexander Patrick Arthur, on Aug. 6. She has been working with Morgan Stanley in San Francisco and is now doing angel investing in Lake Tahoe.
Brian A. Block C’95 married Deborah Joy Malkin on Sept. 30 in an outdoor ceremony on the garden terrace of Oxon Hill Manor, overlooking the Potomac River near Washington. His best man was Ray Schleinkofer W’95, Deborah’s sister, Jennifer Malkin C’99, was maid of honor, and Kerem Kepkep EE’96 GEng’97 was a groomsman. Deborah’s father, Bruce Malkin C’67 and her stepmother, Joanne Rinehart Malkin CW’62, shared the festivities with their best friends, Dr. Jeffrey Frank C’67 M’71 GM’75 and Deborah Linker Frank CW’68, their daughter, Dr. Laura Frank C’95, and Dr. David Matz ChE’67 and Roberta Rubenfein Matz CW’67.
Nancy Epstein C’95 <[email protected]> is proud to announce her engagement to Joshua Korff on Dec. 18, her 29th birthday. The wedding is set for Sept. 1 in Cleveland. They live in Manhattan, where she is an associate at Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood and he is a partner at Kirkland & Ellis.
Patrick Fitzsimonds C’95 and Dr. Reiko Maki Fitzsimonds C’90 Gr’95 announce the birth of their second child, Sophia Katherine, on Jan. 11. Reiko is an assistant professor of physiology in the Yale Medical School; Patrick will join Deutsche Bank this summer in New York, after completing a dual degree in statistics and management at Yale.
Michelle Gittelsohn C’95 recently became engaged to Marc Nadel, and a November wedding is planned. She is an attorney at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher in New York and he is an attorney at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. (Cindy Gittelsohn C’01, Michelle’s sister, sent in this note).
Jaimy Levine Hamburg L’95 and her husband, Jeff, are thrilled to announce the arrival of their first child, son Gabriel, on Feb. 4. Jaimy, Jeff, and Gabe live in Chicago, where Jaimy is an associate at Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw.
Scott Litman C’95 is an attorney in the New York office of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP who specializes in sports law and the formation of new sports leagues. “He led the legal teams that worked on the formation of the Women’s U.S. Soccer League, the Women’s Professional Volleyball League, and I believe most recently, the U.S. Men’s Lacrosse League.” (This note was sent in by David E. Simon W’95 WG’01.)
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares G’95 WG’95 <[email protected]> recently started teaching global marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She writes regularly for Energy Insider and Former Soviet Union Oil and Gas Monitor.
Michael Rosenberg L’95 and his wife, Sheryl, proudly announce the birth of their second child, Jack Holden Rosenberg, on Jan. 10. Michael, Sheryl, big-brother Sam, and little Jack live in Marlton, N.J.
Kerri Korkin Sonenshine W’95 <[email protected]> and Daniel Sonenshine C’95 are proud to announce the birth of Marguerite Zion Sonenshine (Maggie) on Feb. 22. Kerri received her MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA and is a product manager with the ConAgra Grocery Products Company, and Daniel practices corporate law with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker; they live in Costa Mesa, Calif.
Philip A. Wolgemuth L’95 <[email protected]> recently co-founded Abacus Development, LLC, a commercial real estate development company. Since 1995, in addition to his real estate activities, Phil had practiced real estate and business law with the Central Pennsylvania firm of Barley, Snyder, Senft & Cohen.
Elin Brenner Young W’95 <[email protected]> and Dr. Jeff Young announce the birth of their son, Matthew, on August 30. Elin is an attorney, specializing in securities litigation, with Ulmer & Berne LLP in Cleveland.
Joselly Castrodad-Sanchez C’96 <[email protected]> is thrilled to announce that she has recently joined Time Inc.’s People en Español magazine in New York as reporter and researcher in charge of special projects and editions.
Allison Cherner Bender C’96 <[email protected]> married Jason Bender on Feb. 2 in Kohler, Wisc. They live in Chicago, where she is a project manager and he is a software engineer.
Diallo T. Crenshaw EAS’96 in January joined as an associate Sughrue Mion, PLLC, an intellectual-property law firm with offices in Washington, Silicon Valley, and Tokyo. He graduated from the George Washington University Law Center last year.
Nam C. Kim C’96 and Jane Koh C’96 are thrilled to announce they will marry on May 11 in Saratoga, Calif. Alumni in the wedding party will include maid-of-honor, Katherine Lee C’96, and best man Tony Sin C’98. Also in the party will be Charissa Huan, EAS/W’96, William Won EAS’97, By Park C’99, and Elliot Hyun C’96. Nam and Jane are living happily in San Francisco, where he works as director of operations for the non-profit organization Television Race Initiative and she is in her first semester at the Academy of Art College, going for her MFA in advertising.
Franklin Lavin WG’96 e-mails, “The short story is this: last spring [2001], President Bush asked me to join his administration by serving as the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. I was thrilled to be asked: one of the highest honors our country can extend is the opportunity to represent it abroad. Plus this assignment is a nice fit with my Chinese, commerce, and Navy backgrounds. So it took a little less than a second to say Yes, though it took a few months to make it down here. We had to wrap up the school year and business matters in Hong Kong. We spent the summer in Washington getting prepared, and we arrived in Singapore in August. Family photos of the swearing-in are at (hometown.aol.com/lavingroup/myhomepage/index.html). Elizabeth is 10 years old and in the fourth grade at Singapore American School; she plays the range of team sports, soccer, basketball, and softball. Nat is 13 and in seventh grade; he is taking Hebrew lessons in preparation for his bar mitzvah. Abby is wrapping up her final year at boarding school, Phillips Academy, just north of Boston. She has been keeping up her Chinese and starting Japanese. She broadly ignores her dad’s advice, but remarkably still seems to be having a happy and successful life. Ann has taken to Singapore, playing an active role in a wide range of community activities, mainly with the American community. She launched a dance program to introduce kids to ballroom dancing and related niceties, and chaperoned school cultural evenings (Nat is in both the dance and cultural programs). She also supervised study hall for the football players. September 11 was a wrenching day—a long and busy night over here. But the embassy has a terrific team and we have our mission. Most moving was a national memorial service at which the prime minister and I spoke. Some 15,000 people were there to pay their respects and it was telecast across Asia; my speech is on the embassy Web page at (www.usembassysingapore.org.sg). We had a bit of unnecessary excitement in December when the embassy was targeted by a terrorist cell, but superb work managed to stop that threat. There is no place in the world that is perfectly safe, including, as we all know, the U.S., but Singapore is about as good as it gets: it remains a safe and friendly country. No different now than before September 11, which you will see for yourself if you are able to come out and visit.”
Bett Schumacher C’96 joyfully married Ray Rennard on Jan. 4 in Philadelphia. Mandy Racines C’96 was a beautiful bridesmaid, and Bett and Ray were also honored to share the day with Becky Anderko Cornejo C’95 and Luis Cornejo C’96, Judy O’Grady C’96, Jennifer Devers Trigiani C’96, and Alison Zegar Arakelian C’96. Jennifer Borland C’96, delivering a paper in London, was greatly missed. After a relaxing and romantic honeymoon in St. John, Bett and Ray returned to Baltimore and Johns Hopkins University, where she is writing a Ph.D. dissertation in the history of art and he is finishing up his doctorate in philosophy.
Peter Vieira GAr’96 has been appointed an associate in the Philadelphia office of KieranTimberlake Associates LLP.
Alison Deitch Winslow C’96 G’96 walked down the aisle with Josiah Winslow, on Sept. 8, “after cycling hundreds of miles across Alaska and Montana, finishing the New York, Boston, Las Vegas, and London marathons, and sailing the entire coast of Cape Cod. Friends and family celebrated Cape Cod-style, and Sharone Menczel C’95 L’99, Elyse Epstein C’96, Sherry Stolack W’97, Melissa Studzinski W’98, and Darren Ross C’97 were in the bridal party. Other attendees included Jordan Greenbaum C’97, Rebecca Stewart Nu’97, and Karey Kessler C’96. The newlyweds have settled in the suburbs of Boston.” Sherry (who sent in this note), extends the congratulations of the sisters of Alpha Chi Omega to Alison.
Capt. Angela Potter Braithwood Nu’97 <[email protected]> e-mails, “After assignment on the VIP ward of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, I applied and was accepted into the Army’s ob-gyn nursing specialty course at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu. I completed the course with high honors in August, and was re-assigned to Reynolds Army Community Hospital at Ft. Sill, Lawton, Okla. Promoted to captain in February, I am now assistant head nurse for the labor and delivery/intermediate care nursery/antepartum and postpartum floor. My husband, Ray Braithwood EAS’97, and I are mulling a relocation to Dallas this upcoming August, when my Army obligation is finished. He is still living in Sterling, Va., with our four cats while I am on a ‘hardship tour’ of sorts: there are no jobs for him in Lawton, as it is only a military town. We miss all our Penn friends, and if you happen to be in Oklahoma at any point, we’d love to see you.”
Robyn Mayer Einbinder C’97 is thrilled to announce her marriage to Josh Einbinder on July 1 in Melville, N.Y. Many alumni attended the celebration: Laurie Mayer Boockvar C’92 was matron of honor, while Danny Boockvar C’93 L’96, Lauren Fetell C’97, Leah Fischman C’97, Allyson Nemeroff C’97, Stephanie Kahane Pomerantz C’97, and Caryn Young C’97 were all part of the bridal party.
Jason Galeon C’97 e-mails, “I am now a professional animator in New York. On, March 15, my first feature with Blue Sky Studios, Ice Age, hit theaters nationwide.”
John C. Penn L’97 has joined Stanfield Capital Partners, a registered investment adviser in New York, as assistant vice president, legal. He previously served as special counsel in the Office of Mergers & Acquisitions in the division of corporation finance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Elie Seidman EAS’97 is a co-founder of Epana Networks, a next-generation Internet service provider. He recently signed up the company to provide high-speed Internet access for the Penn Club of New York. For the past two years Elie has been a guest lecturer in Penn’s Engineering Entrepreneurship Lecture program.
Julie Simons C’97 is pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Miami.
Wendy Toll Topkis C’97 L’00 e-mails, “On Feb. 21, my husband, Doug Topkis WG’99, and I had our first child, Alison Lauren Topkis.”
Rachel Ehrlich C’98 L’01 <[email protected]> e-mails, “After spending seven great years at Penn, I’m now living in New York and clerking for a federal judge in New Jersey. Julia Oh EAS’98 was recently promoted to captain in the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army; Marti Speranza C’98 is enjoying her second semester at Harvard Business School; and Sabrina Khan C’98 is working hard as a third-year med student at Mt. Sinai Medical School.”
Hollie Evans C’98 married Keith Bialek on Nov. 24 at Tappan Hill in Westchester, N.Y. A number of alumni joined in their celebration, including Hollie’s sister and maid-of-honor Sara Evans C’01, bridesmaids Yvette Pasqua C’98, Lisa Bard C’98, and Mackenzie Kaplan C’98, as well as Rachel Kaplinsky C’98 L’01, Lori Lazar C’98, Marla Danziger C’98, Danielle Koltenuk W’98, Sara Yang EAS’96, Sarah Youdovin C’00, Rachel Kutcher Nu/W’98, and Michael Bressler EAS/W’99.
Monica Gupta W’99 married John Adractas C’98 on April 20. “The wedding took place outdoors on a beautiful 300-plus acre farm in Palmetto, Ga., with both Christian and Hindu ceremonies. Bridesmaids included Rachael Elwork C’99; groomsmen included best man Ahmed Arastu C’98 and James Gatta C’98, John’s roommates throughout his Penn years. Alumni attending included Lindsay Ackerman C’99, Peter Brown Gr’04, Rickie Cameron Gr’03, Neha Champaneria W’99, Sheila Dharmarajan W’99, Liane Dos Santos EAS’99, Anjali Kumar C’W’99, Anna Larsson C’98 WG’03, Jason Marbutt C’98, Suzanne Rombeau W’99, Ryan Sacco EAS/W’98 GEng’98, and Richard Wells W’99. John and Monica live and work in New York.
Laura Gustafson C’99 married Mattias Eriksson of Sweden on Nov. 10 in Princeton, Mass. “Penn alumni were very well represented, including maid-of-honor Lauren Hibbert C’99 and bridesmaid Julie Denisenko C’99. Uncle John Bohman W’53 attended, as well the Penn swim team, including Jeff Brown W’97, Bobby Brown W’97, Brian Cohen W’99, Heather Cohen C’99 GEd’00, Mark Spenner W’98, Ben Garrick W’99, Rudy Chung C’99, Paul Poggi C’99, Kevin Reilly C’99, Dave Thompson C’00, Nick Sheremeta EAS’00, Jon Maslow C’00 GGS’01, Christy Meyer C’98, Colin Robinson C’98, Colleen Flood C’00 WEv’02, and Jon Mishkin C’97. The girls of 4049 also celebrated the occasion, including Sue Sabatino Nu’99, Anna Kanze C’99, Ali Kalogris C’99, Anne Bovaird C’99, Erin Meyer Nu’99, and Alana Tolhurst C’99.” Laura and Mattias happily live in Lexington.
Joseph Scott McArdle WEv’99 has joined Prudential Fox & Roach Realtors as a marketing specialist in its Devon, Pa., office. Previously he was with Weichert Realtors.
Sarah Peskoe C’99 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I married Oren L. Adler on Jan. 1 in Woodcliff Lake, N.J. Alumni and current students who celebrated with us included my brother, Ari Peskoe EAS/W’03, Daniel Werlin C’96, Shira Baron C’98, Alon Krausz W’96, Mia Tepper Nu’96, Craig Englander EAS’00 GEng’00, Michele Satine C’99, Ken Markus EAS/W’96, Ariel Fishman C’97, Jason Herman C/W’99, Jordana Fleischer C’99, Rachael Hartman C’99, David Prager W’99, Ethan Isenberg C/EAS’99, Tamar Shuldiner EAS’98, and Jonathan Taub C’94. We currently live on the Upper West Side in Manhattan where I work for Marsh & McLennan in their benefits department. I would love to hear from any Penn friends. We would also like to congratulate Ariel Fishman on his marriage to Elana Steger, Alon Krausz and his wife, Sherri, on the recent birth of wonderful twin girls, Talia and Rebecca, and to Michele Satine and Ken Markus on their recent engagement.”
Jennifer Schwartz EAS’99 married Jarid Lukin EAS’98 on Oct. 27 in New York. The bridal party included maid-of-honor Cristal Choo-Kang W’99, Robert Mann C/W’89 WG’96, Michael Saunders C’98, and Mark Su EAS’98. Also attending were Marcus Leef EE’98, Paul Welfer C’98, Sofia Kosmetatos C’00, and Lindsay Lion C’98 GEd’99 and Fred Jauss C’99 G’99. After a honeymoon in Hawaii, Jen and Jarid returned to their home in New York, where he works as a commerce project manager for Lego and she as a process engineer for Organon. They would love to hear from Penn friends at <[email protected]> or <[email protected]>.
Christopher Tanzi EAS’99 and Brittany Warren were engaged on Feb. 14.
2000s
Cindy Funk Nu’00 <[email protected]> e-mails, “I am currently working as an ICU travel nurse in San Diego, and plan to travel to Denver soon. I will be starting Nurse Anesthesia school at Virginia Commonwealth University in August.”
Jeffrey Simons C’00 is attending the Northwestern University School of Law.
Leigh Stevens CGS’00, an artist with Philadelphia’s BaseKamp collaborative, participated in Speak, an invitational group exhibition that explored the use of converted, reconstructed, or obfuscated language in visual art, at the Painted Bride Art Center in February and March.
Ameesh Vakharia W’00 was recently appointed an associate in the New York office of Metropolitan Venture Partners, a private-equity firm focused on technology investments.
Jeff Aldridge Jr. EAS’01 will be attending Fordham University law school this fall, while still working for Fish & Neave, an intellectual-property law firm in Manhattan. He is the son of Jeffrey Aldridge WG’76 and grandson of Charles B. Aldridge W’32.
Ensign Jeremy J. Susco C’01 earlier this year received his commission as a naval officer after completing the 13-week-long Officer Candidate School at the Naval Aviation Schools Command Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla.