CLASS OF 2011 | 2019 | ISSUE 3

Terrance Agbi joined Forbes magazine as a senior product owner for their digital team last summer. (“We’re hiring! Please reach out if you’re interested,” he said.) He also got engaged to long-time girlfriend, Liane Membis, and will be married in June.

Dani St. Pierre was promoted to senior food/drink editor for BestProducts.com at Hearst Digital Media. She said, “It’s a young e-commerce, news, and product review site—and one of the top-performing e-commerce sites and revenue drivers in the Hearst network.” She was previously an associate food/drink editor.

Becky Eidelman just started a master’s program in urban and environmental policy and planning at Tufts.

Mike Rosen continues to use the platform WESlam gave him to speak internationally on topics of mental health, masculinity, and sexuality. He is an official storyteller for The JED Foundation, and is earning his master’s at the University of Pennsylvania. He jogs in Fort Greene, where he often sees Josh Smith walking his two blind shihtzus and spends time with Samantha Sherman ’09.

Graham Gnall and Kaitlin Ashley were married on June 1, in a Brooklyn ceremony officiated by Ingrid Parl ’10. Attendees included many Wes varsity athletes, fraternal organization and student government members, and surprise guests, including Topanga Cage ’10, marched along Manhattan Ave., to a bacchanal celebration reminiscent of High Street in its heyday.

Cheryl Tan is “still in Singapore, where things have stabilized in terms of visas and money and houses, all your general 30-year-old stuff. Signed with an agency, shortlisted for a Women of the Future Award, featured in a list of 25 Amazing Women in Marie Claire’s 25th Anniversary edition. Did a new play about humanitarian aid workers that was very intense, and a lot of TV that was not super intense. Contemplating the whole balance thing of acting-for-a-living as opposed to making fulfilling art. Also contemplating more training. Thinking about money a lot.” Watch out for her in a teeny-tiny role on an HBO show out soon. Instagram: @cherylchittytan.

Julian Sonnenfeld married Gia Stagliano on May 18 at Wave Hill Public Gardens in the Bronx. He is in his final year of orthopaedic surgery residency at Columbia University Medical Center–New York Presbyterian Hospital, and soon will be starting a sports medicine/shoulder and elbow surgery fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C. in August.

Colin Small is working at The Met and writing a novel.

Maynard-Heffelfinger Wedding

Julia Heffelfinger married Rick Maynard on June 22 in Weekapaug, R.I. The couple has been together since their senior year at Wesleyan and were both film studies majors.

Eliza Gordon ’11

Eliza Gordon just became the principal at a public school in North Austin called Wells Branch Elementary. This is her first principalship after spending the last eight years as a teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal in Austin Public Schools as well.

Lastly, Tim Morley and I (Allie Southam) were married on Sept. 21 in Los Angeles. Close friend A.J. Chan married us overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Several other Wes alumni were in attendance. We’re living in Northampton, Mass., while Tim is completing his general surgery residency at Baystate Medical Center. I’m working as a neurologic physical therapist for Hartford Healthcare.

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

Newsmaker: Taylor Cain ’11

Taylor Cain ’11 is the new director of the City of Boston’s Housing Innovation Lab (i-Lab). Since its inception in 2015, the i-Lab has worked with residents and stakeholders to encourage the creation of new housing prototypes that promote affordability and alternative living arrangements. Cain has worked with local nonprofit organizations and institutions on evaluation and research projects that focus on a range of issues, including economic development, racial equity, and displacement. Cain majored in Science in Society at Wesleyan and completed her PhD in sociology at Boston University.

CLASS OF 2011 | 2019 | ISSUE 2

Class of 2011, in very sad news, Sam Silver ’08 writes, “I am deeply saddened to share with you the news of Zachary Rosen’s passing on May 18. Zack suffered in his last several years from schizophrenia, which ultimately took his life. He will be remembered by many as a brilliant musician (playing bass in seemingly every campus band), a powerful thinker, and a singularly generous friend. A memorial for Zack will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Roulette, 509 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn; members of the Wesleyan community who wish to stay informed may contact Zack’s father, Bob Rosen at brosen@kqandr.com, with the subject ‘Zachary Rosen Memorial.’”

Cheryl Tan, in Singapore, is acting, teaching voice, and striving to be slightly less confused about adulthood. She’s procrastinating on some grant applications right now. She just finished a play called Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner for the Singapore International Festival of the Arts. It was about humanitarian aid workers and it was a serious wringer. She’s booked up for the rest of the year, which is pretty great, and has gotten into plants. She scored an Australian agent and wants to get more training, maybe in France. She had a dream about Wesleyan yesterday and it made her sad upon waking. Insta @cherylchittytan.

Amanda Baker’s wedding

Corinne Duffy and husband Daniel Levine and Shipra Panicker, Jamie Thabault, Juliet Nebolon, and Chris Michael gathered to celebrate the wedding of Amanda Baker in New Orleans. They enjoyed a second line dance, creole barbecue, New Orleans culture, and 90-degree temperatures. They look forward to celebrating the marriage of Juliet and Chris later this summer!

Maryann Platt reports, “I got my PhD in neuroscience from Columbia in May!” Jared Gimbel writes, “I’m living in Brooklyn and presented at the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava about the Kiribati and Niuean languages.”

Congratulations to Julia Heffelfinger and Rick Maynard who are getting married next month in Rhode Island. Julia reports, “There will be a big Wes crew at our wedding!”

Matthew Narkaus writes, “James He, Tommie Lark ’12, and I started a sustainable hemp clothing brand back at Wesleyan. Since graduation, we’ve made leaps and bounds in the hemp space and consider ourselves a frontrunner in hemp apparel today. Our vision has come to fruition in the past year with the passing of the Farm Bill, making it legal to grow hemp in all 50 states. In addition, we were able to secure a strategic investment from former NFL legend and cannabis activist Ricky Williams. Check out our website, superegoworld.com.”

Last but not least, make sure to check out Wesleyan Journey (wesleyan.edu/wesleyanjourney) for a great update on Jessica Chukwu.

As always, thanks for the updates. I always enjoy hearing from everyone. Keep them coming!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2012 | 2019 | ISSUE 1

Happy 2019 to the Class of 2012! Last year was an exciting one for many of our Hilltop friends.

Lizzie Simon is in her second year of study toward becoming a family nurse practitioner. She can usually be found playing Ultimate or doing acroyoga, thanks to Wesleyan. She is grateful to be enjoying Seattle with Jennelle Taylor ’15 and Bryce Fintel ’16.

Alyssa Lanz, in LA, a television literary agent at United Talent Agency where she has been since graduation, was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Andrew Dominguez has been shuttling between LA and his hometown in the Philippines for the better part of two years. In LA, he is involved with the local alumni community and helps them support Wesleyan and NESCAC events in the city. In Manila, he organized a gathering for alumni of small liberal arts colleges; there were 20 attendees, half of whom hailed from Wesleyan, with a trio from Williams, and individuals from other peer schools. There is enthusiasm for similar events in the future. Andrew is aiming to build a network of support in LA for Raghu Appasani’s MINDS Foundation. Andrew is active in the alumni filmmaking community in LA, too.

Tess Minter graduated with her MBA from the University of San Francisco in May and started a job with Gartner as a management consultant in state and local government with a focus on homelessness response departments. Tess and her partner bought a condo in Oakland and are expecting to get engaged in the next few months.

Along to more wedding bell news: Hillary Biggs and Grant Covington were married in September, and their wedding had lots from the Wes crowd!

As for me, I am still at Bridgewater Associates and am planning my own wedding for May. Wishing the entire Class of 2012 continued success.

Daisey Perez | deperez@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2011 | 2019 | ISSUE 1

Hi, Class of 2011. Always great to hear everyone’s updates!

Nick Luby, who double majored in music and philosophy, writes, “Over the last two years I founded and now codirect The Concert Truck, a mobile concert hall that delivers performances of classical music to diverse and unexpected locations. My partner and I have brought music to schools, parking lots, street corners, city squares, restaurants and bars, parks, zoos, homeless shelters, children’s homes, farmers markets, and scenic landscapes.

“We have toured across multiple states and we were in residency with Minnesota Public Radio for their 50th anniversary. Last spring, Voice of America made two videos about us:
“Additionally, we have been featured by the Baltimore Sun, South Carolina Public Radio, Classical MPR, Discover Classical (Dayton, OH), WYPR Maryland, and several local TV news stations including SCETV and WDAY Channel 6 News Fargo. The Concert Truck was also a Finalist in the 2018 Johns Hopkins University Business Plan Competition and received First Prize for the 2015/2016 Creativity in Music Award given by SPARK: Carolina’s Music Leadership Laboratory at the University of South Carolina.”

From Cheryl Tan, “Not broke, still in Singapore! Learning more about money, starting to work with an Australian agent, shortlisted for the Women of the Future Award (SEA). Won Best Libretto at a short musical festival in KL. The story was about sperms! Have visa in SG (whew). Web series, Derek, is out on Toggle.sg this Valentine’s Day and currently rehearsing a new play about humanitarian workers. It’s intense and really good. Also have regular singing students now and doing grant writing work. Thinking about getting more acting training, maybe in Europe.”

Bulaong Ramiz is a director of the multicultural resource center at Amherst College. She had her first baby this past August, Kimaya, who has already spent some time visiting mama’s alma mater.

Brendan “Shem” Sheehan was in Chicago for the annual Russian baths meetup where he tubbed, sauna’d, and kvassed it up with Charlie Lang, Matt Katz, and Justin Spring ’10.

Kim Prosise is living in Cambridge, Mass., near Davis Square. In 2018 she founded an entertainment company that provides circus and specialty performance art (@goldarrowllc), explored Costa Rica, Nebraska, and Bermuda, and made frequent trips to NYC to visit Gabriel Urbina ’13, Zach Valenti ’12, Ariella Axelbank ’14, and friends.

Timur Khanachet is a fellow at the American Film Institute and will be graduating in 2020.

Mat Larkin writes, “I majored in studio art, and I own a highest-end metal shop in Providence, R.I., called Nine and Two Thirds, specializing in fine art fabrication, architectural metalwork for homes, restaurants, and offices, and custom furniture. We were awarded the DESIGNXRI Design Catalyst Grant to purchase a large CNC milling machine, which is very exciting. We typically work with architects, interior designers, and our own design and engineering acumen to engineer and fabricate custom, large-scale pieces. We have two ongoing public art projects that will be seen on Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway this May, as well as myriad residential and commercial projects.”

McKinley Tennant is living in Bali and working and teaching yoga at a women’s retreat called Goddess Retreats in Semiyak. She is very happy to call this place home. She writes, “My partner opened up a matcha cafe and we have a Bali dog, Maya, who is the sweetest.”

Thanks to all those who contributed! Look forward to hearing continued contributions from our class in the next cycle.

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2011 | 2018 | ISSUE 3

Lots of updates from the Class of 2011! Damian Privitera reports, “I moved back to Connecticut last year with my partner (Evan Perkoski ’10) because Evan started as a professor at UConn. We live in Manchester with our dog (Miley) and I’m working as a lawyer in Hartford. We saw lots of friends at the three Wesleyan weddings we went to this year, including for Nick Matayoshi and Sami Okada, Laura Silver ’08 and her husband, and Darren Thomason and his husband. We also saw Wes friends at the non-Wesleyan weddings because go figure.”

Siena Kramer writes, “I graduated with a B.S. in nursing from The George Washington University and am currently working as a critical care R.N. in Washington, D.C. Glad to be back on the East Coast!”

Margaret Aldredge Diamond and husband Hugo welcomed their son, Hugo, in May.

Max Slater is an attorney and hearing officer for the Allegheny County Health Department in Pittsburgh. As the hearing officer, Max presides over administrative law matters in which parties appeal violations issued by the Health Department. Over the past two years, Max has handled cases ranging from air pollution to landlord-tenant disputes to food safety issues. Max and his wife, Megan, are expecting their first child in February.

Jared Gimbel reports, “My video game about Greenland, Kaverini: Nuuk Adventures, has been delayed, resulting in a 2019 release. The game is set to feature music, sound effects, voice acting, and consultation from several well-known Greenlandic artists.” Jared also spent two weeks last summer in Fiji, having learned Fijian to conversational fluency.

Mallory Cruz writes, “I spoke at the U.N. in April on the abuse of autistic girls and women on International Autism Awareness Day.”

Lindsey Davis tell us, “I’ve been employed since spring as a researcher/writer/editor in the rare books and manuscripts trade. It’s a pretty small circle, and I’d be happy to offer my e-mail address for any student or alumni questions regarding the field.”

Donovan Arthen got married, bought a house, and is working as a leadership development specialist for organizations all over the world.

Ilaria O’Keefe has moved down to Greenville, S.C., for the foreseeable future in connection with her husband’s job. “I’m homeschooling my two older kids, trying to keep the 1-year-old out of trouble, and working part-time as a birth doula and herbal medicine student. Not yet sure how I feel about being in the South . . .”

Harrison Schaaf is living in east L.A., working as a director/cinematographer, traveling often to China and the rest of East Asia for work and adventure.

Kathryn Kulowski Swan is an optometrist based in Connecticut. She opened a practice with her husband, Edmund Swan, in Rocky Hill called Swan Vision Optometry. All Wesleyan students and alumni are welcome! Enjoy a 25 percent discount. #keepwesweirdbutyourvisionclear

Always great to hear from our class. Thanks for your contributions!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2011 | 2018 | ISSUE 1

Hi, Class of 2011. Lots of updates to report!

Allie Diamond writes “I’m engaged and in my third year of my PhD in clinical psychology at Berkeley, studying future thinking in anxiety and depressive disorders using person-specific methodologies. And I’m loving living in the Bay Area!”

From Ilaria (Wolfe) O’Keefe: “We have three kids—6, 4, and 6 months—and I am in the middle of the first year of homeschooling with the oldest. I work as a doula and do singing projects on the side. This year will be a big one for us, as my husband finishes grad school and we figure out where to go next!”

After traveling in Greenland, Jared Gimbel presented at the 2017 Polyglot Conference in Reykjavik on using video games to learn languages. He has a YouTube channel with educational and comedic content. Kaverini: Nuuk Adventures, his first video game, is still in development, in addition to a smaller side project about Nauru.

Qianqian Lin writes, “Eli Fox-Epstein and I got married in 2016. Paul Linton officiated, and a few other Wes alumni from 2011 attended. We also closed on our first condo this past August and have been doing renovations galore! To help pay the mortgage, Robert Boutelle lives with us! In career news, I graduated from the MBA program at UCLA, where I was classmates again with Anjana Rimal.”

Sally Edmonds writes, “This year was a busy one for me. I married Sam Maritim ’10 and gave birth to our daughter Athena Cheboss Maritim in October. We are now living in New Haven, Conn.”

Left to right: Adam Kaiser ’13, Tom Hartnett ’14, Todd Keats, Brad Improta ’14

And from Todd Keats, “Adam Kaiser ’13 and I played for the New York St. Nicks Hockey Club against Tom Hartnett ’14 of the Jackson Hole Moose in Jackson, Wy. The St. Nick’s beat the Moose 4-3 and 6-3 on Friday and Saturday, respectively, in front of sellout crowds of 1,500. Brad Improta ’14 was in attendance, but was recovering from an injury. We enjoyed skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the nightlife at the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar.”

Thanks for your contributions. It’s always nice to see what everyone is up to.

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2011 | 2017 | ISSUE 3

Class of 2011: I hope this update is finding you well! Lots of big wedding news to report! First big news is the wedding of Joe Giaimo to Emily Gatti. While Joe was at Wes, Emily enjoyed her fair share of trips to football/baseball games, Usdan brunches, DKE, and plenty of Main Street restaurants. Their wedding took place in August in New Jersey with many Wes folks in attendance including Alex Sakhno ’15, Eric Eckhardt, Donnie Cimino ’15, Mike Whalen ’83, director of athletics, Dan Dicenzo, head football coach, and Justin Freres, groomsmen and co-captain with Joe. Plus, Matt Coyne ’12, Michael Ruderman, RJ Dabbar ’12, and Nick Seara, groomsmen and co-captain with Joe as well.

Peter Belmonte writes, “I’m very much enjoying coaching, rowing, and teaching geometry in my sixth year at Xavier High School. I’m also enjoying helping Coach Carney with the Wesleyan Men’s Crew team. I’m looking forward to racing my single in the Head of the Charles this October! Go Wes!”

Zuleikha Hester contributes, “I moved to San Diego and am a brand new teacher! I just started teaching a 3-4 grade combo class.”

In more wedding news, Katie Colasacco informs us, “This September, Allie Rowan and I got married in Maryland surrounded by family and friends. We had fellow Wesleyan ’11 classmates Emma Lewis, Devon Hopkins, and Alyssa Arens by our sides on the big day, along with Allie’s sister and brother-in-law Emily ’08 and Dan Austin ’08 (who tied the knot in June). The Rooks were kind enough to play for our reception, and they kept the crowd on the dance floor all night. Allie and I are both thankful for a summer that’s been filled with so much Wes love!” Congratulations Katie and Allie!

Even more wedding news, Garrett Blank writes, “Brian Civale and Elizabeth ‘Lizzie’ Jameson were married in Boston on October 7 after meeting junior year. Wedding attendees included (among others): Katherine Mechling, Nic Yulinsky, Sam Broadaway, Elisa Shapiro, Dakota Gardner, and me. Brian is a public defender in New Hampshire and Lizzie works at Boston College in their fundraising department.”

And my own update! I finished my doctorate in physical therapy at the University of Southern California in May and took a job at Re+Active Physical Therapy and Wellness, an outpatient physical therapy practice that specializes in neurologic conditions. In January, I will be starting the Schmidt Movement Disorders Fellowship, a neurologic physical therapy fellowship that collaborates with UCLA to help develop physical therapy movement disorders specialists who subspecialize in evaluation and treatment of movement disorders including Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, Huntington’s disease, and functional movement disorders.

Thank you to everyone who contributed this cycle! Keep the updates coming!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

CLASS OF 2011 | 2017 | ISSUE 2

Devon Hopkins made the move to Brooklyn this spring and started a new job as the director of content marketing at CARTO. He’s enjoying the availability of bodega breakfast sandwiches, a walking commute, and reconnecting with other Wes kids.

Storyteller Mike Rosen also has gigs as a teaching poet and copywriter (heymikerosen.com).

Barbara Fenig and Patrick Cline were married on May 27 in New Haven, Conn. The couple met at the Wesleyan Writers Conference.

David Puelz wrote in with news about his twin, Charles Puelz. Charles received his PhD from Rice University in computational math. Over the next three years, he will be completing post-docs at the University of North Carolina and New York University’s Courant Institute.

Corrina Wainwright started the MPH program in health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health. She is working at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene this summer for her practicum project, researching structural violence as a public health issue with the Center for Health Equity.

Mary Weir is at the University of Southern Denmark on a Fulbright scholarship, studying and working with women in prison. This is an area in which she became interested while at Wesleyan, where she was involved with the prison project.

Cheryl Tan is in Singapore, starring in her first TV show, and is leading a musical at the Esplanade, playing a young Dowager Empress CiXi, and doing another musical at the end of the year. Another highlight was playing Juliet for Shakespeare in the Park during which she nearly died. Figuratively. Search for “faculty” on Toggle.sg if you want. She’s changing focus to the commercial side of things to make more money so follow her at @thecheryltan. She’s also teaching singing, less scarily than before. #hireme

Lastly, Joe Giamo, class agent, has an update on the class gift: “Thank you to all of this year’s 2016-17 donors to the class gift and who helped to make the difference for our current undergraduates! We look forward to updating on our success when results come in after June 30.”

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu