CLASS OF 1987 | 2016 | ISSUE 2

Hello beloved classmates,

I crashed the first day of Reunion weekend this year, so am full of renewed affection for our alma mater. I swear that campus gets more beautiful every time I see it. Here we go:

Claire Conceison has left Duke University for a new appointment at MIT as Quanta Professor of Chinese Culture and Professor of Theater Arts.

Tim Sheridan just published a new kids ebook to support the Sanders campaign. It’s called A Birdie for Bernie and it’s free when you donate to the campaign. Info at birdie4bernie.com.

Elliot Mark wrote in: “I still live outside Boston, where I’ve been since graduating law school in 1990. My wife, Kathleen, and I have three children, and unbelievably, our oldest daughter is about to graduate from high school (Muhlenberg, class of 2020), our youngest is having her bat mitzvah, and our 15-year-old son is already taller than both his parents and shows no signs of stopping. I see Cam Mears pretty regularly and am in touch with Hal Marcus, Chuck Taylor, and Lauren Ariev Gellman ’88. Had the pleasure of hanging out with Dan Weese and Cheryl Towler and their three children when I visited Chicago to see the Grateful Dead’s Fare Thee Well shows last summer. Looking forward to our 30th reunion next year!”

Alisa Kwitney went to see Holly Harrison ’85 and Jim McManus ’85 at Holly’s first solo art show, The Language of Lines, at the Abigail Ogilvy gallery in Boston. Alisa also visited Prof. Kit Reed while on campus with her daughter. Alisa is writing a miniseries for DC Comics and developing Liminal Comics, an imprint with Brain Mill Press. Her 10th novel, Cadaver and Queen, is forthcoming.

From Susan Malestein-Romeo: “This year will be 25 years married to my wonderful husband, Robert Malestein. Yes … someone has put up with me that long. We live in Bridgeton, N.J., a very rural town that is about 45 minutes northeast of Atlantic City. Rob is a judge for the Superior Court of New Jersey and currently sits in the criminal division. I have been a family law attorney since 1990, running my own office. It is hard to believe I have been practicing law that long!! I feel like I should be really good by now 🙂 My husband and I are blessed with two daughters, Samantha, who is a sophomore at The College of New Jersey and plays rugby for her school (just like her mom), and Carly, who is a junior in high school.”

“All’s well for the Paseltiners,” writes Linda Paseltiner. “Phil and I won the Commencement jackpot this spring with each of our boys graduating—elementary school, high school and college. In August we will celebrate our 25th anniversary. So, a big year all around for us.”

Jonathan “JB” Davis writes that “While the post-layoff stay-at-home dad/soccer coach/serious home cook things continue to be awesome, the kids no longer require as many hours a day (Joe is almost 15, Eli is 11, and Abby is 9), so I looked for ‘what’s next’ and am now a startup co-founder.” Here’s our site: month16.com.

Erika Ranee had her first solo art show this spring at LMAK gallery in NYC. It was titled Gasoline Rainbows and featured a new series of paintings and her recent foray into works on paper. Erika was a 2009 artist-in-residence at the Abrons Arts Center, and was awarded a studio grant from the Marie Walsh Sharpe Art Foundation in 2011. Her work has been shown in several exhibitions including The Bronx Museum, The Last Brucennial/2014, The Parlour Bushwick and recently at BravinLee programs.

This winter Eileen Deignan caught up with Johanna and Simon Heart in Boulder, Colo. “Sumana Chandrasekhar Rangashar’s family hosted us this spring in New Jersey. I catch up with Doug Neuman periodically here in Boston. Ira Skolnik and I practice right down the street from each other. Had a happy reunion with Shiyoung Roh at a hospital function; she is an ophthalmologist at Lahey Clinic. On a professional note, I was voted a member of my hospital’s board of directors.”

Stephen Warner and Martha Haakmat “are beyond thrilled that our daughter, Georgia Warner-Haakmat ’20, will be attending Wes! As for the two of us, we both continue to be deeply and happily involved in education, Martha as Head of School at Brooklyn Heights Montessori School and me as Head of Lower School at Allen-Stevenson in NYC.”

Hannah Doress ’88 writes in about Alane Freund: “It is an exciting time for Alane Freund—she put her MS, LMFT and Equine Assisted Growth and Learning (EAGALA) training to work to found Heart and Mind Equine, where she offers weekend retreats, psychotherapy and leadership development programs for the 20 percent of the population that is highly sensitive. Heart and Mind Equine is developing a national reputation, drawing attendees from around the county and collaborating closely with high sensitivity field pioneer Dr. Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person. Media coverage of Alane has sometimes called her ‘the horse whisperer’ because of her skill in rescuing, gentling and incorporating wild horses into her work. Doress ’88 and her son Abe have taken part in her youth leadership development programs with these horses [which explains our enthusiasm!]. Alane lives and works with her partner, Monica Zimmerman, an equine specialist and midwife. Her son, Asher Padua-Freund, is a high school student with an interest in neurology.”

Scott Pryce is spending his time between Miami and Washington these days, and would love to catch up with classmates in both cities. “I am in touch with Dan Sharp ’88, Chris Lotspeich, and Rob Campbell from our class. We had a fun reunion with a few other classmates like Alex Scott, and also Colin Campbell at Rob’s wedding last year.”

That’s all the room we have.

Best always,

Amanda Jacobs Wolf | wolfabj@gmail.com