CLASS OF 2004 | 2019 | ISSUE 2
Wes ’04 continues to share some great life events and activities. Check out what your classmates have been up to.
On the West Coast, Michael Aylward tells us: “Been a few years here, and thought I’d say hello! I’m still living in San Francisco, on a bit of a detour from my energy and climate work for the past couple years (working at a tech company with some lovely people)—still involved in energy and politics and still enjoy sharing guidance, information, and support to young Wes alumni interested in climate and politics.”
Close by, Mark Schindler is a product manager at Fountain, leading the development of a brand new app within the company. Mark loves the interdisciplinary and strategic aspects of being a PM, and always looks forward to visits to the Bay area. Earlier this year he ran into former lacrosse teammate Jason Scott at a Warriors game, and he enjoyed watching the men’s lacrosse team beat Middlebury when Coach Raba and the boys visited Baltimore.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Colker Hammond says, “I will be working as a college counselor at Berkeley High School in California. If anyone wants to make the Wesleyan connection, let me know!”
From Southern California, Stephanie Mandell says, “I moved to Burbank and welcomed a second daughter in January. I work as a business advisory consultant in Slalom’s Strategy & Operations group.”
Back on the East Coast, Brennan Carney says, “I’m living in Colchester, Vt., happily married for eight years. We have three children: Cooper, 6, Boden, 4, and Quinn, 2. I just retired as a varsity football coach in my 15th year, and will spend my time with children. I am a teacher at Burlington High School and my wife is a fourth-grade teacher in Colchester.”
Also in the Northeast, Ariel Pliskin is completing a master of social work at Westfield State University and teaching sex education to adolescents in western Massachusetts.
Alden Ferro had a very eventful fall. He started a new job in the Office of Public Affairs at Yale Law School. Two weeks later, he married Richard Luedeman in a ceremony at Edgerton Park in New Haven officiated by Judge Susan L. Carney. Joshua Kaye and Jonathan Lashley served as best men. Other WesGuests included Megan Ridley-Kaye ’05, Susan Manikas, Rebecca Solow, Dael Norwood, Michelle Paul, Liz Thaler ’05, David Haan ’06, and Nora Hanagan, who was there in spirit, and consulted on the playlist. Wes faculty Claudia Nascimento and Ron Ebrecht were also in attendance. Alden and Richard spent two weeks in Italy on their honeymoon before returning to the real world.
Rebecca Gundle shares some wonderful family news. “I gave birth to baby boy, Ezra Sigmund Porter, on March 22 with my partner Eric Porter. We now have two little ones under 2 as we became foster parents, and by the time you’re reading this, permanent guardians to my nephew, Tristan, who is 15 months old now. Our hands and hearts are very full!”
To keep the up with the great family updates: K.J. Iribe shares that she and husband Jim Woodsome ’06 had a baby in January, Madeleine Woodsome! “She’s pretty great. Jim and I think we’ll keep her.”
Also, with growing family updates, Rebecca Hall and Sam Fletcher have had an exciting few years. They had a daughter, Cora Hall Fletcher, in November 2015 and had a son, Wesley Hall Fletcher, on Thanksgiving Day. They couldn’t be more grateful for the life they have built in Old Greenwich, Conn. They both work in Stamford, Rebecca as a dermatologist and Sam as a copywriter. They enjoyed seeing classmates at the 15th Reunion.
Thanks for the great updates, ’04. Keep them coming! You can always submit, even between calls for entries.
Jenina Nuñez | jenina.nunez@outlook.com
Meeghan Whooley Ward | meeghan.w.ward@gmail.com