CLASS OF 1991 | 2018 | ISSUE 1

Mark Steele has lived in Boulder, Colo., for more than 10 years, but spends summers in Telluride, where he originally moved after graduation. His freelance art direction, design, and Web business allows him freedom, and the real estate success of his number one client—his wife—allows him to dedicate weekly pro-bono time to local nonprofits fighting for climate and social justice. Last year he had lunch with resilient Shizuko Aizeki, and he crashed the getaway weekend of Tibby Erda, Alys Campaigne, Sara Newmann, and Aislinn McGuire, spending a day showing them quintessential Boulder: bagging Mount Sanitas, wandering Pearl Street Mall, and drinking local brews at the bar in the bicycle shop.

“Colorado is perfect for cross-country convergence,” and Mark is game for more guiding and is currently scheming an epic adventure with Jan Hasselman, Adam Rosen, and Daren Girard ’92 to celebrate being a half century young.

Marcela Von Vacano fights on at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco, serving as a water law attorney. Her husband, James Shafer, is a partner in a small law firm. Their children Nina (10) and Max (7) are thriving, though learning about politics at an early age. “I just saw Heidi Jones, Erin Branagan, and Robin Ekiss. They are beautiful and super fun, as always.”

Deborah Sue Mayer serves as chief counsel and staff director for the Select Committee on Ethics in the U.S. Senate. She was promoted to captain in the U.S. Navy in July, and her reserve assignment is to serve as a military judge.

Curry Rose Mills Hoskey and Robin Crestwell Harris ’90 have sons who play basketball together in College Park. Curry reports, “Robin is the coach of the boys’ ’little league’ basketball team, a fact that gives me great pride. After all, how many teams can say that they are coached by a bona fide college basketball star?”

Scott Timberg is co-writing a book with guitarist and singer-songwriter Richard Thompson, to be titled Beeswing: Folk Rock, Britain, and the End of the ’60s. Faber and Faber will publish it in the UK and Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill will handle it in the U.S. Look for it in 2019.

Dorian Hart published the second book in his Heroes of Spira epic fantasy series, titled The Crosser’s Maze. When he’s not writing, Dorian is the stay-at-home dad for daughters Elanor (13) and Kira (10).

Caroline Mosher Gadaleta is a managing director with Jones Lang LaSalle, a global corporate real estate services company. She leads a team of 43 professionals in managing the real estate and facilities portfolio for the number-one premium spirits company in the world. Caroline mentors women in the organization and serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Council. She and her husband, Frank, have two teenage daughters, Shelby and Jessie.

Sarah Sutter hosted Zanne ’94 and Ian Gerrard in Tokyo in February and offers anyone passing through to connect with her. She enjoys receiving inquiries through the Wes Career center about living in Tokyo or teaching abroad.

Kristin Aldred Cheek and Brian Cheek ’92 moved back to New Hampshire, about an hour outside of Boston. Kristen is finishing a PhD from Cornell in human behavior and design (environmental psychology). Brian manages the Manchester Monarchs, an ECHL team, and their children are in high school.

Dana Schultz works for RAND in Pittsburgh, focusing on child and family well-being research and evaluation. She and husband Steve Jackman ’89 are preparing for the next chapter as both of their girls are leaving home. “Our younger daughter, Piper, went to boarding school this year for ninth grade and our older daughter, Reilly, is headed to college in the fall. Reilly found an incredible fit in a small liberal arts school which, alas, is not in Connecticut, but is just the right place for her.”

In September, Jeff Post took his two boys, Andrew and Bradley, up to Wesleyan to take the campus tour. “Yes, we’re starting to look at colleges! That night, we watched the football team play under the lights. It was a fantastic game, as Wes pulled off a comeback win in overtime.”

It is with profound sadness that share the news of the death of April Cotte, who died on Jan. 25. April majored in Latin American studies and sociology at Wesleyan, and devoted her life to striving for environmental and social justice. April is survived by her partner, Brian Young, their 7-year-old son, Barry, her mother Kathi, her siblings Peter and Pam. Appreciation to Gayatri Gopinath and Erin Kelly for informing me of this loss. Your remembrances of April are welcome for inclusion in a future edition of notes.

Renée K. Carl | rcarl@wesleyan.edu