Tag: 1997

Happy 2014 four months into it! I’ve been deep into the books since I last checked in. Grad school has been keeping me quite the busy bee this semester. I’m lucky if I get to check in with everyone personally, but the power of social networking is wonderful. Social media is such a great way to stay connected and see what’s happening with everyone. It at least allows me to find a few updates here and there to report in. Sam Laybourne, wife Herran Bekele, and their two beautiful kids—son Skender and daughter Lulit, relocated back to New York in 2013. With the tough winter the East Coast had this season, I’m sure they miss the California sunshine and can’t wait for summer to arrive.

Read about Daniel Poliner’s #ThisIsWhy story about preparing for his first film, Jack, Jules, Esther & Me. You can visit danielpoliner.com to watch the trailer and for more information, but the film is available on iTunes, Amazon, cable on demand and many other platforms. Even my old In-Town roommate Christopher Andrews shared his own story on ThisIsWhy.wesleyan.edu. I love the nostalgic personal mini-essays on the site from so many generations. Definitely check it out when you get a chance, or better yet, contribute your own story.

Jose DeJesus was appointed head of the upper school at Packer in Brooklyn, N.Y., effective July 1. As a teacher and administrator, Jose has served at a variety of well-respected institutions throughout his career. Super confident, his biggest cheerleader is his wife, Andrea Rosario De Jesus, who is also a Packer alumna. Love seeing the Wes connection come full circle in another dimension.

One of my oldest Wes friends, Christopher Gore, wrote me to share the good news of boldly stepping into the entrepreneurial world with his own practice based in Mount Holly, N.J. Gore Law Office provides legal representation across a wide range of practice areas including: Night Court including DUI, Traffic and Municipal Ordinance violations; Estate Planning including Will, Power of Attorney, and Living Trusts; and much more. You can seek Chris’ services at glawoffice.org.

And speaking of entrepreneurs, Santi White, also known as Santigold, is doing the most these days. A March 2014 New York Magazine cited her latest movements by noting: “It’s been a year since Santigold released her last album, Master of My Make-Believe, but the artist (née Santi White) is now focused on two upcoming projects: a baby (‘I feel good!’ she says) and a new makeup collaboration with Smashbox Cosmetics.” Smashbox Santigold: The Santigolden Age Collection will be available this summer, 2014. How ultra-amazing for the singer/songwriter and mom-to-be. Congrats to Santi.

Until we meet again ’97ers, please e-mail or tweet me @BGunlimited.

Kimberly Cooper King
kimberly.king715@gmail.com

2013 was quite a full year for so many. A few of our classmates were kind enough to keep us posted.

Maria Mirabal Hipps wrote: “I supported my bestie, Nicole Rodriguez Leach, in her New York Marathon run. Dolores Concepcion ’98 was also on hand to encourage our girl Nic as she accomplished this amazing milestone. Thanks to Facebook and Instagram, I am also able to reconnect with many Wes alums, such as Vanessa Rodriguez ’99, Lucria Ortiz, Semeka Smith, Angela Yee, Santi White, Maria Santana Guadalupe ’98 (recent Wesleyan cover girl), Benny Vasquez, and so many more. Love social media. I often marvel at the transformative and inspiring careers we have all pursued, fields in entertainment, finance, education, law, etc. As for me, I continue to practice law and recently celebrated my seventh year at IMS Health Incorporated, where I serve as the senior counsel overseeing contracting matters for the Latin America business unit. I’ve settled in South Jersey (for the time being), married with three healthy, inquisitive, and athletic children ages 10, 8, and 6. I’m still hoping to one day pursue my ‘dream deferred’ of directing and producing documentary films. Fortunately, I know there are several amazing Wes alums in the TV/film industry who I’m certain will do their best to welcome me with open arms. That’s the beauty of the Wesleyan network.”

Robin McLellan Woodworth wrote in after she attended Homecoming: “Tailgates with Kira Markiewicz Fabrizio and husband Dan Fabrizio ’96. Ran into Alex Barth and Sarah Brodsky Barth and a host of other football and BETA folks on campus. Wesleyan beat Williams for first time in about 43 years I think, and so it was very exciting! Looking forward to taking the kids with me to Arizona in March with my husband Mark’s Wesleyan baseball team and then a road trip with team to Southern California. Makaela Steinberg Kingsley ’98 and I took our four kids to Wes Wings, which was nostalgic, yummy, and so much fun! I am traveling quite a bit for work at Nuance, but the kids are healthy and happy, and Mark and I are great.”

Cheryl Goldman Governale (@cheryl_1999) has been living abroad for 10 years now—two in Milan and eight in London, where she is now. We stay connected via Facebook and Cheryl shared, “We welcomed our son, Luca, into the world on Aug. 26. Big sister Sophia is very happy to have someone to boss around! I’m in the midst of a career change, having left finance to train as a photographer.”

It’s wonderful to hear news about our classmates and their latest additions. Osvaldo Pena, wife Jocelyn, and their son, Miles, welcomed baby Mila to their family in November. Romi McVey, husband Hari and their daughter Leela welcomed Sonia Adena Ganapathy on Jan, 21, 2014. And Roxanne Williams Armstrong ’98, husband Kenneth and daughter Kamila also welcomed a new addition to their family: Karissa Hyacinth Armstrong was born Dec. 21, 2013. Lots of sibling love going around.

My old In-Town 22 roommate Steven Tejada and wife Anna welcomed their first born, Yameli Elena Tejada, on Dec. 30, 2013. Tejada continues to travel the world with his one-man-show performance pieces and I witness his excitement on Facebook. Our other In-Town roomy Kevin Strait and his wife Ty are basking in the glory of their twins, James and Langston, who will turn one year in March.

Wes’ Precision creator Abdul Rasheed celebrated in his final concert Rockefeller Brothers Fellow and Lincoln Center Institute Artist-In-Residence fellowship performance There Are No Tangents Part III.

And me, I celebrated Lucria Ortiz’s birthday with sommelier Oz Pena. Awesome experience: wine tasting and learning with friends. I’m still enjoying my family life/work balance. My husband, Rod, and I love watching our son, Cooper, grow like a sprout. Cannot believe he’ll be 3 in July. We’ve bumped into a few Wes friends this season including Marvin Bowser, Angela Tucker ’96, and Taisha Thompson ’95. This spring I enter the master’s in integrated marketing program at New York University. Nothing compares to Wes, however. Working in media at Viacom/BET Networks for the past few years, I’m truly excited to re-enter the world of academia in pursuit of higher education and executing the balancing act at a new level.

In 2014, I’m looking forward to hearing from all of my 1997 classmates. Until we meet again, e-mail or tweet me @BGunlimited.

Kimberly Cooper King
Kimberly.king715@gmail.com