Author: Randi Alexandra Plake

Miranda Haymon ’16 is the winner of Columbia@Roundabout’s 2019 New Play Reading Series for her directing of The Colony. The reading series awards three playwrights from the current Columbia MFA program and recent alumni with a cash prize as well as a reading in Roundabout’s Rehearsal Hall, followed by a post-reading reception. Haymon’s recent projects include Everybody at Sarah Lawrence College, In the Penal Colony at Next Door @ NYTW, Mondo Tragic at The National Black Theatre, and Eclipsed at Dartmouth College, where she co-taught Contemporary Theater. She has held residencies and fellowships with New Georges, Roundabout, NYTW, Arena Stage, and more. Haymond is making her off-Broadway directing debut this spring at Roundabout. At Wesleyan, Haymon double-majored in German studies and theater.

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.

Tony Alleyne ’05 is the recipient of the Teach for America Delaware Markell Leadership Award. Alleyne is the executive director for Delaware College Scholars, a program is designed for first-generation college-bound high school students and those traditionally marginalized by the higher education system. “Dr. Alleyne’s leadership . . . has positively impacted the lives of countless students across the state,” said Teach for America-Delaware’s executive director, Tamara Smith, in a press statement. Recently, Alleyne has also received leadership awards from the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, and the Delaware Business Times. At Wesleyan, Alleyne majored in African American studies and sociology and earned graduate degrees from Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Michael Brotchner ’95 joins YouthBuild USA in a newly created role as chief strategy officer. He will lead the nonprofit’s strategic plan and supervise the development, communications, and data services departments. Brotchner previously worked as a program officer at the Schultz Family Foundation in Seattle and as the executive director of Sustainable South Bronx. YouthBuild USA provides training, leadership development, pass-through grants, quality assurance, and advocacy for the 360 local YouthBuild programs operating in 23 countries. After majoring in the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan, Brotchner earned his MBA from the University of California, Berkeley.

Joel Armijo ’84 is the new chief financial officer of Comcast Advertising, the advertising arm of Comcast Cable, a division of Comcast Corporation. He previously worked in senior leadership, finance, and strategy roles at fuboTV, AT&T, DirecTV, Merrill Lynch, Cablevision, and Time Warner. Marcien Jenckes, president of advertising at Comcast Cable, said, “[Joel] has helped launch and raise venture capital funding for new category entrants, built teams from scratch, led companies through major new product launches and mergers, and acquisitions, and covered our industry as an equity analyst. His skill set is incredibly versatile, rich, and diverse and we are excited to have him on board.” At Wesleyan, Armijo majored in history and earned his MBA from UCLA.

Gail Marcus ’78 was appointed assistant professor of health professions at Hofstra University. With a career of leadership positions in healthcare, domestic and global, she has served as CEO and president of Calloway Labs, as well as Caris Life Sciences, Inc.  She was selected as one of the top 100 women leaders in Massachusetts. Marcus has also held significant roles at United Healthcare and CIGNA, and has been a professor for healthcare strategy at UConn School of Business. A Spanish and math major at Wesleyan, Marcus earned both an MS and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania, and a doctorate in health care administration from the Medical University of South Carolina. She serves on two public company boards (Natera and Triple S Salud) and is a fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors. 

Leonard Wilson ’62 is the recipient of the 2019 F. William Stahl Award, the highest honor bestowed by YMCA Alumni, the national association of retired YMCA professional directors. The award is given in recognition of dedication and commitment to the YMCA, the YMCA profession, and the art of written communications. Wilson is a member of the Central Atlantic Chapter and is past-president of YMCA Alumni nationally. He was inducted into the YMCA Hall of Fame in 2016. At Wesleyan, Wilson majored in history and earned a master’s degree from the University of Louisville.