Roger Pincus is covering the class news this issue. We begin with the latest from Robin Ginsburg, who is living and working in NYC as director of vitreoretinal surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. She reports that her son, Jason, had his Bar Mitzvah in October and that her daughter, Samantha, started high school this year. One of Robin’s ophthalmologist colleagues at Mount Sinai is Scott Brodie ’74, MA’74.
Joel A. Fein is closing in on three decades at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, practicing pediatric emergency medicine and leading a multi-level violence prevention initiative. The program promotes and researches community and hospital-based programs in the greater Philadelphia area. Next year, all three of Joel’s boys, Ethan, Seth and Jay, will be attending The University of Pennsylvania and finding their inner science geeks. Joel adds that the last remnant of his Wes legacy hopes were dashed in one early decision gone bad (or good, for Jay). His wife, Vicky, has been in the same pediatrics practice since the two of them finished residency together. They are spending a lot more time on the Chesapeake and loving it.
Michael R. Heydenburg recently published an article in The American Intelligence Journal’s special issue on denial and deception. Michael’s article, “The Ponzi Scheme as a Deception Operation: The Bernie Madoff Case Study,” uses the Madoff scandal as a case study to explore some characteristics of intelligence and military deception operations and suggest areas of future research and development for intelligence and military denial and deception professionals. Michael continues his work for the government on intelligence matters and is based in New York after a period in the D.C. area.
Rhonda Lees is now senior counsel in the Office of the General Counsel at the American Bankers Association. Rhonda reports her new colleagues are terrific and the work is interesting. She is excited to pivot to the trade association world after serving in the charity arena for so long. She is in touch with and sees several Wes people, including Michael R. Heydenburg, Lisa Nevans Locke ’85, John Pomeranz ’85, Daphne Kwok, and Maral Kibarian Skelsey. With the encouragement of Stephen McCarthy ’75, Rhonda is serving as chair of the D.C. chapter of Wesleyan Alumni in Philanthropy and Public Service. There are plans to revitalize the group in 2017, so please reach out to Rhonda if you would like to participate or to just learn more.
Simone Zelitch’s fifth novel, Judenstaat, was published last May by Tor/Macmillan and will be out in paperback in January 2018. It’s an alternative history where a Jewish State is established in Germany rather than Palestine as a direct answer to the Holocaust, and as such, sets the state in the middle of post-WWII Cold War politics. Critical reviews have been favorable.
Greetings Class of1983and Happy New Year! The good news is I have heard from many of you. The bad news is I only have 800 words. I did my best to edit your replies to include as much as possible.
In the arts world, Cheri Weiss, fourth-year cantorial student, released an album, Hineni: Music for the High Holy Days (hazzanit.com), which was distributed free to 1,000 shul-ins, chaplains, rabbis, social workers in hospitals, and retirement homes across the U.S. Tim Backer owns and operates an independent culture production house and released his collection, The Musing Gene; he attributes the source of his electric-guitar-rock-classical style to Wesleyan. Eve Annenberg wrote and directed two feature films, including Romeo and Juliet in Yiddish and produced eight indie films. Kate Rabinowitz runs the Anna Lytton Foundation for Arts and Wellness (annalyttonfoundation.org) in honor of her late daughter. Julia Kay’s upcoming book, Portrait Revolution, ships this spring. The book contains tips, techniques and inspiration for making portraits and is filled with 450 portraits by 200 members of Julia Kay’s Portrait Party, an international online community of artists.
In the academic world, Andrea Smith is professor of anthropology and department head of anthropology and sociology at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. Her research focus is on colonialism (French and US) and her new book is called, Rebuilding Shattered Worlds: Creating Community by Voicing the Past. Liz Hamilton works at Butler University as a department secretary and encourages classmates who hire to consider well-educated-but-been-out-of-the-workforce-for-awhile people! Kirsten Wasson works at a progressive high school as college counselor and internship coordinator in LA.
In the social action sphere, Jessica Cogen is the development and outreach director of Food for Others, a large food pantry/food bank in Fairfax, Va., providing free groceries each week to 1,800 families in need.
In the science and medical worlds, Charlie Brenner published the first clinical trial of nicotinamide riboside (NR), a vitamin metabolic booster he discovered 12 years ago and is now used over-the-counter by 200,000 people. Pat Roth is a practicing neurosurgeon in New Jersey and is chairman of the department of neurosurgery at Hackensack University Medical Center and soon-to-be chairman at Seton Hall University, too. He finished his second book, Keeping the “Me” in Medicine, which explores the power of the narrative in medicine to make doctors better doctors and patients better patients. Heather Rae is a certified integrative nutrition health coach and with husband and chiropractor, Aubrey, opened The Wellness Spot in Richmond, Maine.
In the business world, Raul Mercado is the director of New Jersey Institute of Technology Procurement Technical Assistant Center. He is responsible for the development, enhancement, and delivery of procurement and certification assistance programs, training technical support, and outreach to New Jersey-based small businesses seeking to sell to the public sector. Glenn Duhl joined Zangari, Cohn, Cuthbertson, Duhl & Grello, P.C., and is practicing management-side employment law and litigation. Glenn Lunden was part of the team at New York City Transit that opened the brand new and long-waited-for Second Avenue subway line which was first proposed in 1920. Rick Mandler celebrated his 25th year at the Walt Disney Company, mostly at ABC, working in a variety of capacities from legal to media and technology. He teaches TV management as an adjunct at NYU’s Stern Business School.
On the social front, Karen Adair Miller, Tammy Rosengarten Darcus, Gretchen Millspaugh Cooney, Sue Stallone Kelly, and Barb Bailey Beckwitt had a fun roommate getaway at the Cooney’s house in Nantucket. Glenn Lunden and his partner, Frank Meola, had a mini-Wesleyan winter reunion with Christina Meyer Wilsdon, Dan Schlein ’84, and John and Sarah Borden Holman. Megan Norris writes that after 15 years of Wes Board meetings, her tenure is coming to a close.
Lastly, I report my life is complicated and overwhelming at times as I juggle work, research, motherhood, and caring for my elderly mother with Alzheimer’s. The good news is my trio will graduate in May from college. The bad news is their graduations are all on the same weekend and on different coasts! Until next time…
David I. Block writes: “I have a running joke with a friend of mine. Everything she says or does reminds me of Wesleyan. Our families vacationed together in Florida. In the airport bookstore, staring at us, were rows and racks of Grunt, by Mary Roach, now in paperback. “Oh! She was in my class. We took a writing course together our freshman year.” My friend glared at me. “FIVE MINUTES!” My wife laughed. “It just took five minutes!”
David Miller had a wonderful time at the centennial celebration for Van Vleck Observatory. “It was a great complement to our class Reunion a month earlier. The VVO Reunion had great seminars, friends, and colleagues of all ages. While I stay in touch with Bill Herbst over the years, it was great to have a chance to say ‘hi’ to other faculty of our era (Art Upgren and Ed Weiss) and to hang out with a bunch of alumni that I knew “back in the day” (e.g., Bruce Phelps ’82, Taft Armandroff ’82, and Ron Klasky ’83) whom I do not get to see at our class reunions.”
[Ed. note: We regret to report that Arthur Upgren, Wesleyan’s John Monroe Van Vleck Professor of Astronomy, Emeritus, passed away January 21, 2017. Please see the obituary section for further information.]
Leslie (Sundt) Stratton had a memorable 2016. “I took a year-long academic research leave. Spent fall 2015 back in New England—renting a condo at the base of Killington in Vermont. Got a lot of work done and a lot of hiking. The hiking was in prep for a three-week vacation tramping around the parks in New Zealand in January. That marked the beginning of a spring term in Australia, much of which stay was spent at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, but we also managed side trips to Uluru, Cairns, and, courtesy of a conference I attended, Perth and western Australia. A great experience!”
Miriam and Gary Sturgis ’77 announce the births of their grandtwins, Meyer Aaron and Gabrielle Hadar Wexler in August to their daughter, Rebecca, and her husband, Bryan Wexler. More good news from the Sturgis family is the upcoming marriage of their daughter, Ariela, to Dan Paulsen this July.
Gary Shapiro graduated with a master’s in education from Pace University and is teaching AP Calculus and Algebra II/Trigonometry at Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences. He loves his new career.
In addition to working as director of marketing and communications at Albany Valve & Fitting Co., Inc., Delcy Ziac Fox is working as the publicist for the New York Folklore Society, where Ellen McHale is executive director and Greg Shatan serves on the board of directors. “It’s great to be working with Ellen and Greg in support of the arts!” Delcy said.
Jon Sperry writes in about his work as actor and dialect coach, the latter of which really took off. “As a dialect coach I taught and worked with actors like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Russell Crowe, Sophia Loren, and Arnold Schwarzenegger! (Yes, really, he works with a dialect coach!) I enjoyed a long collaboration with Harvey Keitel, until I moved to Paris in ’96 to live and produce with my new wife who Harvey had introduced me to, Ivana Massetti. Ivana recently created the amazing gender equality movement Women Occupy Hollywood (check it out on Twitter @WomenOccupyHwd) and just became the Los Angeles representative of the organization ERA Action! I have had the joy of coaching such illustrious actors as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Debbie Reynolds!”
Neil Foote’s biggest news “is that my daughter, Alexandra, graduated from the London School of Economics with an MSc. in environment and development. She’s ready to take on the world, pursuing her interests in sustainability, climate change, and environmental economics. As a principal lecturer at the University of North Texas Mayborn School of Journalism, I’ve been super lucky to get Wesleyan alumni David Brancaccio ’82 and Jon Morgan ’94 to speak to my classes, and would love to invite other Wesleyan media professionals as well. I’m also co-director of the 13-year-old Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, one of the nation’s leading events for aspiring and established narrative nonfiction writers from all walks of life. This summer, we’ll have Sebastian Junger ’84 as one of our keynote speakers. Last October, the National Black Public Relations Society, of which I’m president, held its national conference in Chicago, and through my work with NBPRS, I participated in a discussion on diversity in the PR industry hosted by Chris Graves, chairman of Oglivy Public Relations.”
On a sad note, Mark Anderson passed away Dec. 19, after having had a heart attack about a week prior. Greg D’Auria writes, “My understanding is that he was not in any discomfort and that the boys were there for the last week.” Our condolences to his family.
Tom Loder writes: “Been lawyering in (of course, where else but) Philadelphia for 30 (okay “30-some”) years now, married late (of course), raising two now-teen boys, and happy to be in close touch over the years with Jimmy Schor and Bob Ferreira, and their wonderful and beautiful wives, Sharon Nahill and Amy Zinsser. How improbable is that?—Four from the Class of ’80 who married their Wes college sweethearts, who set the world on fire with their brains and daring (for my part, I’ve been nursing a very small campure with whatever kindling I can muster). And hospital titan (GC) Spence Studwell ’79, author Larry Levey (look up some of his great stories), Barry Williamson ’81 (who, inexplicably, Dos Equis somehow missed in its search for “Most Interesting Man in the World”), Kevin “Middletown” Markowski ’79 and Ed Biester where, with his permission, I work at the same law Philly firm. Bob’s daughter Amy will graduate from Wes this year, and Ed’s daughter is a sophomore. My eldest was on campus for a college visit two weeks ago (had dinner with Bob and Amy on the trip), so it is apparent that the circle of Wes life remains unbroken. Crazy good, I guess you’d have to call it.
“Wow, right? Very grateful for these lifelong friendships. Many Wes classmates I miss and would like to hear from and reconnect with: Labeeb Abboud, Walter Siegel, Bucky Pereira (Buck: Bob Ferreira still has some of your mistakenly returned Pereira test results from Herbie), Billy Burnett, Laura Nathanson, Lori Geissenhainer, Michelle LeBlanc, John Dionne, Jono Cobb ’79, Nick Donohue ’81, Joey Virgadula, Jeannette Talavera, Dan Lynch, John Padilla, and too many more to mention (the exit music is getting pretty loud already at this point). Next issue maybe. We’re still young and, as you aptly put it, still (in that indomitable Wes spirit) growing stronger, wiser, and more helpful to others.”
Mark Zitter writes: “It’s a time of transitions for my family. After 27 years of running my healthcare insights company, I’m promoting my president to CEO and transitioning myself into the chairman role. I’m busy starting up a philanthropic venture, The Zetema Project, a highly diverse panel of U.S. healthcare leaders that will convene regularly to debate key issues to better inform the dysfunctional national healthcare conversation. My wife Jessica, a physician specializing in end-of-life issues, will publish her first book in February. She’s featured in Extremis, a short documentary that won awards at several film festivals and was the first short doc picked up by Netflix. I’m chairing a series on end-of-life issues for the Commonwealth Club of California, so we talk about death all the time. We don’t get invited out much anymore. My eldest, Sol, just started his freshman year at Brown, where he’ll focus on computer science and math. His sister, Tessa, is right behind him. By the time this is published my guess is that she will have applied early decision to Wesleyan! She wants to double major in theater and chemistry. I don’t think my alumni status had anything to do with this; it’s more about Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02. Our youngest, Sasha, is a high school freshman who is passionate about dogs. She has been invited to try out for the U.S. team that will compete next summer in Luxembourg in dog agility, a canine obstacle course. I’m in touch with our classmates Scott Hecker and Julie Burstein regularly, and would love to hear what Paul Singarella is up to.
Kenneth Haltman ’80 is the editor and translator of The Evolution of Taste in American Collecting by Rene Brimo, out now from Penn State University Press.
Kenneth Haltman, H. Russell Pitman professor of art history, has a new book release where he wrote the introduction and did the translation: The Evolution of Taste in American Collecting. According to the publisher, Penn State University Press, “In his introduction, Kenneth Haltman provides a biographical study of the author and his social and intellectual milieu in France and the United States. He also explores how Brimo’s work formed a turning point and initiated a new area of academic study: the history of art collecting. Making accessible a text that has until now only been available in French, Haltman’s elegant translation of The Evolution of Taste in American Collecting sheds new critical light on the essential work of this extraordinary but overlooked scholar.”
Jim Friedlich ’79, P’14 was appointed the chief executive officer of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism in Philadelphia. This newly formed Institute has an endowment for investment in technology and innovations that advance the future of journalism. The Institute is also the parent company of The Philadelphia Inquirer, a winner of 20 Pulitzer Prizes and now the largest newspaper in America operated as a public-benefit company. Cable mogul and philanthropist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest said, “The hiring of Jim Friedlich—one of the most talented and capable thinkers in the business of journalism—will help propel our mission: developing effective models for powerful public-service journalism on a local and regional level in the digital age.” An English major at Wesleyan, Friedlich was chief executive of digital media advisory firm Empirical Media which was purchased by Lenfest. He worked as group publisher of The Wall Street Journal International and was a seed investor in Business Insider.
Ellis Neufeld ’79, M.D., PhD., was appointed clinical director, physician-in-chief, and executive vice president of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, an internationally renowned center that pioneers research for and offers treatment to children with catastrophic illnesses. St. Jude President and Chief Executive Officer James Downing, M.D., said: “Dr. Neufeld’s leadership and experience will help steer St. Jude clinical operations as we expand our patient care programs, increase the number of patients treated and work to set the standard for pediatric cancer care delivery.” A biology and chemistry major at Wesleyan, Neufeld earned his doctoral degrees at Washington University in St. Louis, with specialty training in pediatrics and medical genetics at Boston Children’s Hospital and in pediatric hematology/oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s.
Class of 1979 Endowed Wesleyan Scholarship Fund
Julian Carraway ’18, Sociology
Gary here, wishingeveryone a healthy and happy new year from snowy Holliston, Mass.
It was great to see the DKE house packed once again with revelers for the annual Homecoming post-game party. It was well-attended by alumni from the class of 1964 to 2016 including George DuPaul, Joe Britton, John Papa, Bill Conley, Jack Buckley, Tim Fitzgerald, Dennis Archibald, Scott Karsten ’74, Dave Thomas ’77, Vanessa Burgess ’77, Ralph Rotman ’78, Bill Ahern ’78, Jeff Gray ’77, Steve Imbriglia ’77, Matt Hoey ’78, Shawn McKeown ’77, Gary Sturgis ’77, Peter McArdle ’77, Steve McArdle (legendary DKE chef), Dave Bagatelle ’86, Michael Ruderman ’11, Jeremy Edelberg ’14, Bob Bourne ’80 (my DKE “little brother”), Jack Meier ’69, and Frank Judson ’64, among a plethora of others I’m forgetting. Before the post-game festivities, we watched the Wesleyan Cardinals win the first leg of the Little Three title by beating Amherst before they traveled to Williams a few weeks later to officially capture the crown for the second time in four years. Congratulations to Mike Whalen ’83 and to the many DKE undergraduate brothers who played their hearts out in those games. Well done.
A great time was had by all in celebrating the 60th trip around the sun for John McDermott ’78 in New Jersey with Joe Britton, Tim Fitzgerald, Ralph Rotman ’78, Jeff Gray ’77, Dave Thomas ’77, and Paul Nelson ’78. Many of us will be joyfully embracing? Stoically facing? Unconditionally surrendering to? The milestone this year. I keep reminding myself it’s only a number. How the heck did we get here?
Ellis Neufeld writes: “I actually have news this time, after decades of doing more or less the same thing. Come March, I will move to Memphis to become physician-in-chief at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.” I have tremendous respect for people doing work that makes a significant difference in people’s lives, especially children’s lives. Kudos to you, Ellis.
Jodi Daynard writes that she is still writing: “Hi, there! I’m doing very well! Quit teaching last year. My third novel, A More Perfect Union, is coming out this May (Lake Union). It is the third of a trilogy that began with The Midwife’s Revolt.”
From John Tjia (originally Class of 1976, but took a three-year “gap year”): “I’m at the point in my life and career (executive director at Ernst & Young in New York) where I am starting to think about retiring. My daughter, Leonore, is on her own in San Francisco since graduating from the University of St. Andrews in 2011. My son, Alex, is in his sophomore year at Skidmore College, and my wife, Charlotte Okie, teaches the Alexander Technique in the drama department at the Juilliard School. I am writing the third edition of my book, Building Financial Models, for McGraw-Hill, and I take time out on the weekends to do some oil painting. Does anyone know where Anne Morningstar ’76 is?”
Jim Friedlich was named CEO of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, a non-profit foundation dedicated to the future of sustainable local news. Hong Qu ’99, a digital media entrepreneur, serves on Jim’s board. Jim and Alberto Ibargüen ’66, CEO of the Knight Foundation, announced a major national partnership between their respective organizations to help transform newsrooms around the country by more effective use of digital, mobile, and social platforms.
Joy D’Amore writes: “I head up global talent acquisition at Everest Group, a strategy consulting and research firm focused on global services. I moved to Dallas for the role a year and a half ago. We have offices in Dallas, Toronto, London, and Gurgaon, India. I’d love to connect with others in Dallas: damorej@gmail.com.”
Anne Wilson update: “Moved to San Diego Calif., in 1991 for a job and, to my surprise, stayed. Learning to surf helped. I am proud to be SVP of real estate development at Community HousingWorks, a nonprofit that develops, renovates, and owns apartment homes affordable to low-income working families, seniors and people with disabilities (almost 3,000 apartment homes across the state of California). I regularly hire recent grads with liberal arts degrees because they know how to write, think, research, and analyze problems. I just wish more of them would take a few courses that require quantitative work like statistics and economics.”
Bill Levinson update: “Julie and I finally pulled the plug on the Northeast. We’ve left New Hope, Pa., and moved to Key West. I’m still playing piano full-time down here.”
Greetings classmates! Hope 2017 is getting off to a good start for one and all. Susie writes for this issue. Seems many of us are enjoying celebrations of one sort or another these days. 60th birthdays (remember 60 is only a speed limit!), children’s graduations and marriages, not to mention arrivals of precious grandchildren.
Jennifer Atkinson says her biggest news was the birth of her first grandchild, Karlyn Ryan Steinberg, on New Year’s Eve. She added, “Next to her, everything else fades to near insignificance.” Jennifer, a professor at George Mason University, also published her fifth book of poems, The Thinking Eye, this past year.
Bloomberg Professor of Business Journalism Andrea Gabor sent greetings from Havana where she was leading her second group of Baruch College/CUNY journalism students on a study abroad trip exploring Cuba’s rich biodiversity and efforts at developing sustainable agriculture and fisheries. Their first trip was January 2015, just weeks after President Obama and Castro began their détente.
Bill Adler has been living in Tokyo, Japan, for the past two years and is enjoying life as an expat. He’s writing and occasionally publishing books. His novella, No Time to Say Goodbye, is coming out this spring.
Dave Wilson had some good success with his fourth and most recent album, from the Dave Wilson Quartet, There Was Never, which was released on the New York-based ZOHO Music Label in 2015. The album included original music by Dave, a saxophonist, and interpretations of some well-known tunes. The album received radio airplay in 40 different markets across the country, and in 2016 received a nomination for a Grammy by ZOHO for Best Instrumental Jazz Record. Dave lives with his wife, Lisa, in Lancaster, Pa., where in addition to his performance career, he teaches privately, and has a business buying and selling musical instruments. He can be reached at davewilsonmusic.org.
Elizabeth Weiss Ozorak is keeping herself busy and fit! One of her highlights for 2016 was winning the Bronze Freeskate at USA Adult Masters Games last July. She would “love to hear from any other late-blooming athletes and/or adult figure skaters out there!” [eozorak@allegheny.edu]
Jon Spector and his wife, Wendy, enjoy life in Woodstock, Vt., where they moved two years ago when they became empty nesters. Wendy is on ski patrol and is an EMT, while Jon is working in New York at The Conference Board. A small nearby airport allows Jon to make trips to and from the city fairly efficiently. At The Conference Board, he is joined by fellow Wesleyan alumni Moira James and Russell Morris ’87. Alan Dachs ’70 is a trustee and chairman emeritus.
Life in Duxbury is never dull with our toddler grandson (and his parents) living in town. Our oldest just moved to San Francisco and our youngest just graduated from college in December (a semester early!). As we put our best and most positive feet forward in 2017, I’d like to sign off with these words by John Wesley: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.”
In addition to personal news, one of the themes for this column is the volunteer work that class members are doing.
Susan Avitzour and her husband, Daniel, just had their fifth grandchild, Gabriel, and Susan has just finished writing a novel. It’s about an American woman who marries a Japanese diplomat, and finds herself posted to Burma/Myanmar when it was still ruled by a brutal military dictatorship. Susan volunteers as a therapist at Hadassah Hospital, which treats Jewish and Arab survivors of terror attacks, military clashes, and accidents who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Andrea Grubb Barthwell attended the Hamilton fundraiser in Chicago and saw many Wesleyan alumni and parents, and some members of the winning Cubs team.
Robert Briskin and his wife, Limor, had a good time at Reunion. Rob has a concierge medical practice and serves on Congressman Pete Sessions’ National Physicians Council for Healthcare Policy in D.C.
Ethan Bronner took a buyout from The New York Times two years ago and has been at Bloomberg ever since, writing, and editing political features. He heads up a team looking into President Trump’s family businesses here and abroad, and would welcome hearing from anyone who has any knowledge about it.
Jon Cleworth recalls his time at Wesleyan, as a rower and CSS member. Jon was a Chicago-area resident for several years. He now lives in Connecticut and is a great uncle with five nieces and a nephew. Retired, he stays in shape mostly by biking.
Oliver Griffith left the World Bank Group and works as a communications advisor for Africa50, an infrastructure fund focused on Africa. He is also freelancing in communications and foreign affairs.
Debra Haffner is the full-time settled minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Reston. She invites Wes folks to services at 10 a.m. on Sundays.
Daniel Henry’s son, Derrick, and his fiancé, Beata, were married in May. Dan also had his second granddaughter, Denni Jean Henry. Dan is the president of the Kiwanis Club of Newington, which runs a flea market that raises money for scholarships and to support local agencies and human services.
Daniel Herr and his wife, Kathleen, have four grandchildren. Katherine is continuing her work in disability, special education, and elder law, and Dan is in his second term as nanoscience department chair at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, a collaboration between the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University.
Peter Hansen and his wife, Gail, have completed their move to D.C. after several years of Peter commuting between D.C. and Kansas. Peter does marketing consulting.
Libby Horn volunteers at a soup kitchen and at a hospice house. In the hospice, a dying person is admitted for the last three months of their life and receives care, mostly from volunteers, at no charge.
Jim Johnson’s Europe bicycle tour company is doing well, and Jim has been extending his love of bicycling with several volunteer endeavors. Jim serves on the board of Bike Walk Tennessee and is working on trail and greenway projects around Chattanooga, extending the U.S. Bicycle Route System across Tennessee and into adjacent states. The goal is to create a 50,000-mile network of connected on-road bike routes.
Norm Kerner has had a career in the music industry as a record producer, engineer, mixer, composer, and session musician. He runs his own studio, Perfect Sound Studios, in Hollywood Hills, and does real estate deals specializing in properties that have recording studios on site. Norm also volunteers for Food Forward, an organization that harvests California produce that otherwise would go to waste, and collects leftover produce at farmers’ markets for homeless shelters. To join the effort, e-mail him at norm@nkern.com.
Ely Leichtling is retired and volunteers in the Milwaukee public schools, tutoring several fourth graders in math, and teaching a seventh grade class focusing on a significant books like To Kill A Mockingbird. He also chaperones field trips. His wife, Sally, is also retired.
Susan Mitchell worked in railroad policy analysis after graduation, was a stay-at-home mom, and then went back to school and graduated with a master’s in pastoral care in 2000. She spent 10-plus years working as a board certified hospice chaplain and is now semi-retired and volunteering at a continuing care facility, teaching bible study, and preaching at the ecumenical Christian services. Her son, Arthur, is a curator at the UPenn library and her daughter, Catherine, works in finance in D.C. She stays in touch with Sue Heller Clain ’94.
Desmond (Stern) Whitney and his wife live in Minneapolis. They have a daughter who just graduated from college and a son with special needs. Desmond enjoys recording books for the blind each week.
This spring, Nancy ’78 and I have a daughter graduating from a master’s program and two others graduating from college. We both do volunteer work in our respective fields. Best wishes to everyone for 2017!
Mike Minard, who traveled with blues giant Jonny Shines, turned 64 last year, and sent videos. One is a cover of the Beatles’ classic, featuring Mike, his wife, and granddaughter: youtube.com/watch?v=gyEyT6V3kBo. Catch the original musical, Amazing Grace, which Mike wrote with prisoners in New York’s maximum-security prison for women as a Rehabilitation Through the Arts volunteer facilitating music and theater: youtube.com/watch?v=jlxX0Fc2Y5w.
Dave Bickford is acting and vocal coaching in LA. He and wife Phenprapha went to Thailand for his stepson’s college graduation, to discover that only students and faculty attend, while families just take photos afterward! Phenprapha became a U.S citizen in March (Dave’s government major helped with test prep). A huge fan of all-female banked track roller derby, Dave was invited to coach the LA Derby Dolls’ All-Star team in a game.
Amy Bloom is now Wesleyan’s Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing. Her daughter reports from Brooklyn on Leslie Brett ’76, and Amy has lunch sometimes with Jose Goico ’74. Busy with a novel, working on a children’s book, happily married, and living in Stony Creek, a tiny village on Long Island Sound, Amy has three “beautiful and brilliant” grandchildren.
Get out those Wesleyan onesies! Three more classmates are grandparents: June Jeffries (Clara Marie Jeffries, February 2016), Cathy Gorlin (Solomon Bennett Epshteyn, March 2016), and Risa Korn (Arya Rose, September 2016). June saw Andy Barnes last summer presenting at a symposium in D.C. Cathy’s new grandson lures her frequently to NYC from Minnesota. She saw Christine McCoy McNeil and Kenneth Levinson on her last visit, and David Racher ’74 and his wife, Susan, in Miami.
Travel and transitions: Ellen Remmer and her husband took a sabbatical travelling in Southeast Asia for three months, including being in Myanmar during the power handover. She saw Shonni Silverberg ’76 and John Shapiro ’74 recently in Boston. Ellen’s eldest child is engaged. Michael Hamburger, on leave from Indiana University, served as a Jefferson Science Fellow with the U.S. State Department. Pat and Jeff McChristian traveled extensively with visits to Italy, Iceland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Lake Powell, Steamboat Springs, and to Greenville, S.C., to visit their now-married daughter. This summer was hiking/rafting in the Canadian Rockies with kids and their main squeezes. Back home, Jeff enjoys having Pat as CFO/COO of his law practice and running into Judge J.D. Moore in court or around West Hartford.
David Lipton’s third child, Gabriel ’16, graduated from Wesleyan as a government major. His oldest, Anna ’08, is an alumna. He signed on for another five-year term as number two at the International Monetary Fund, following fellow alum John Lipsky ’68.
Vinnie Broderick is well in New Hampshire and at Camp Pasquaney, where he is director. “Last fall, the lightweight crew from 1975 invited me to join their 40th anniversary boat rowing in the Head of the Charles. It was really good to catch up with them. I also visited with former roommate Dave Rosenthal during a quick visit to Baltimore.”
David Drake has the best job in the world: “I earned graduate degrees from UCLA and Harvard Graduate School of Education, and in 1990 started White Oak School in Westfield, Mass., a state-approved nonprofit school serving kids with dyslexia and related language-based learning disabilities. It’s incredibly rewarding work, and we’ve helped many hundreds of kids to read, spell, write, and believe in their potential to succeed and thrive.”
Many thanks to Cliff Chanin for this beautiful reminiscence of Seth Gelblum, who died last August. “Seth and I met freshman year and maintained a very close friendship that deepened over 45 years. We played poker at Eclectic, broadcast Cardinal b-ball games together, roomed at Clark Hall, and then, after graduation, were roommates in Manhattan, as we both started our post-Wes lives. Seth grew up in Philadelphia and Chapel Hill, but considered himself a New Yorker. He became the city’s preeminent theater lawyer and had a guiding hand in almost every significant production, on Broadway and off, for decades. He was beloved and respected by his colleagues. Directors George Wolfe and Des McAnuff spoke at his memorial about Seth’s commitment to their work and how a professional relationship had, for each of them, turned to a deep friendship. Afterwards, the lights of the Broadhurst, Gershwin, and New Amsterdam theaters were dimmed in Seth’s honor. In 2016, Seth became the only lawyer ever to earn the Tony Honor for Excellence in Theater. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from New Dramatists, a leading developer of new playwrights, whose board he chaired. Seth was a founding board member of Lawyers for Children, started by Karen Freedman, which is a national model for representation of children in family court. Seth and his wife, Orren Alperstein, founded the Canavan Foundation, which developed genetic screening and counseling programs for the rare neurological disorder that killed their daughter, Morgan, in 1997. Orren, their children Madeleine and Aidan, and brothers Peter ’73 and Rob ’72 survive Seth. I can’t end without highlighting Seth’s remarkable spirit, particularly as his cancer gained the upper hand after years of determined resistance and many, lengthy treatments. His generosity and humanity simply expanded. It was a profound thing to behold, and underscores what a loss his family and friends have suffered.” Along with Cliff and Karen, Steve Greenhouse spoke at Seth’s memorial.
This fall I talked to and almost managed to see Debbie Kosich near Boston where she and I were visiting our mothers. Sadly, my mom died in December at the age of 95.
Cynthia M. Ulman | cmu.home@cmugroup.com
860 Marin Drive. Mill Valley, CA 94941-3955
During Homecoming weekend in October, women of our class celebrated our fifth Women’s Gathering at Wesleyan. The celebration was suggested by Pam van der Meulen and organized by Nancy Stack, Sharon Purdie, and Pam. Attendees included Nancy, Pam, Sharon, Carolyn White, Judy Atwood, Jean Barish, Adrienne Bentman, and Lyn Lauffer. Plans are to have the next Gathering at our 45th Reunion in 2019. Women of our class, add it to your calendar!
Jane Burns provided the following update: “I live in La Jolla, Calif., and have been a professor at UCSD for the last 25 years. I study Kawasaki disease and am the director of the KD Research Center at UCSD and Rady Children’s Hospital.
“I received my M.D. degree at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 1978 and completed my pediatric residency and chief residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver, Colo. In 1983, I moved to Harvard Medical School and the Boston Children’s Hospital for additional training in pediatric infectious diseases and molecular virology. I joined the faculty at Harvard in 1986 and in 1990 moved to San Diego, where I joined the faculty at the University of California as an assistant professor.
“I moved up through the ranks and was appointed professor of pediatrics in 1999. I was appointed chief of the division of allergy, immunology, and rheumatology in 2000. In 2013, I stepped down from this position to devote all of my energies to Kawasaki disease research and KD patient care.
“Currently, I am director of the Kawasaki Disease Research Center at UCSD/Rady Children’s Hospital where I lead a multidisciplinary team that cares for 80-100 new Kawasaki disease patients each year and follows over 1,300 families in the KD Clinic.
“My passion for studies of Kawasaki disease has spanned more than three decades with my first publication on KD in 1982. In addition to my academic pursuits, I am the mother of two daughters, now age 31 and 35. My husband, John B. Gordon M.D., is an interventional cardiologist at the San Diego Cardiac Center who cares for adults with long-term sequelae of KD.”
Jan Eliasberg reports: “At a time when many directors’ careers are winding down, mine is firing on all cylinders, for which I’m deeply grateful. I’ve directed several episodes of CBS’ new hit series Bull, starring Michael Weatherly (formerly of NCIS), as well as ABC’s Conviction. I’ve also been chosen as one of 10women directors to work with Twentieth Century Fox on “re-booting” some of their biggest franchise films. I pitched a concept for Die Hard and will be working with Fox executives on developing my director’s take.
“On a more serious note, I reconnected with many Wesleyan friends at Seth Gelblum ’75’s memorial service. I knew Seth from Wesleyan and have been friends with his wife, Orren Alperstein, since grade school. The memorial was a magnificent testament to Seth’s warmth, commitment, passion, and huge heart. In tribute, the Shubert Theatre’s marquee was dimmed, something that honors the theatre greats—an honor Seth certainly deserved.
“My daughter, Sariel ’19, is a junior at Wesleyan, double-majoring in American Studies and film; it’s a great joy to see her reveling in her Wesleyan experience as I did. The essential values of the school remain unchanged.”
Jerri Stroud retired from the Better Business Bureau in St. Louis as of Jan. 31, 2017, after eight years with BBB (and 33 years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before that). A move to Seattle could be in the offing, but nothing definite yet.
Monique Witt reports that, “we are still moving ahead with the discs in the cue: my son’s disc, Instead, will drop in March, Juan Carlos Polo’s Insomnio released in Peru and here in the U.S. this past month (Peruvian drumming). SaRon Crenshaw’s upcoming blues album is in the mastering phase and Wayne Tucker’s next album is in late mixing phase.
“Katini’ Yamaoka’s album Gone released to great reviews, and we’ve been getting tremendous press for Ben Sutin’s Tangibility. That end is good. However, one of the most extraordinary jazz trios I’ve ever recorded is breaking up to do real property development, medicine, and rock and roll. It breaks my heart, as it speaks volumes on how difficult it is for great musicians to make a living now, even when they’re booking world tours (as these guys are). The pianist said, “I want to do more than just survive. While it is wonderful to follow one’s passion, after 30, the reality of rent and medical coverage takes a huge toll on artists in every genre. So I’d urge anyone who can to support an artist.
“When I’m not doing the music, I’m working on a manuscript on modern war crimes and re-thinking the Rome Convention. Fascinating from the perspective of cosmopolitanism. Boys are good. Elder is enjoying married life; younger is crazy busy playing piano. Husband is contemplating moving us to Canada (joking sort of).”
Bob Baum survived a kitchen remodel—doubled the number of windows overlooking the Connecticut River and the Dartmouth campus. Became grandparents for the second time (two boys), spent a semester with religion students in Edinburgh, Scotland—a beautiful and relaxing time.
Claudia Catania reports: “After a long and courageous battle, Seth Gelblum ’75 passed away in August of 2016. He had recently won the first Tony honor ever bestowed on a lawyer. Living at the crossroads of almost every major theatrical deal, he was responsible for the unseen, but critical moves that make Broadway theater happen. He was the esteemed mentor, counselor, protector and friend to so many illustrious artistic figures that create contemporary theater. His widow, Orren Alperstein, orchestrated a beautiful memorial service according to his wishes. His brothers Peter Gelblum ’73 and Robert Gelblum ’72 and his sister, Laura, spoke of their childhood in North Carolina. His Wesleyan roommate, Cliff Chanin ’75, remembered him movingly. Steven Greenhouse ’73 recounted later years.
“There were many Wesleyan friends in attendance. I know I missed a number from our class like Anne Jacobs, but I did talk to Jan Eliasburg, Harold Sogard, Willy Holtzman, John Shapiro, Shonni Silverberg ’76, Steve Ross ’75, Vicky Bijur ’75, and John Raskin ’73. As we exited the beautiful service, the Broadhurst Theatre’s lights dimmed for a few minutes and Seth’s jovial face smilingly graced the illuminated overhead marquee billboard.
“John Cady ’71 and I have two sons. Gavin, 26, and his wife are opening their second restaurant in New Orleans. I urge you to sample their first, 1000 Figs! His mother proclaims it is sensational food. Our older son, Max, 29, having taught for three years in Cambodia at an innovative new school, Liger Learning Center, returned to the States to attend grad school at Harvard for a degree in innovation and technology in education. He now teaches digital art at High Tech High, an experiential learning charter school north of San Diego.
“I am the producing artistic director of a public radio show and podcast called Playing on Air and I shamelessly urge you to subscribe to its podcast. It’s short 10-20 minute plays are written and performed by our nation’s best. A shot of humanity in this rocky time ain’t a bad thing.”
Update from Sharon Purdie: “I continue to spend May-October in Jamestown, R.I., enjoying boating, biking, and swimming. November through April we live in Vero Beach, Fla., with the exception of six weeks in the winter when we ski in Park City, Utah. I try to visit Wesleyan at least once a year during the time we’re in Rhode Island. In November, I completed my first triathlon and placed first in my age group. Our son, Jeff Sybertz, graduates from Stern School of Business (NYU) in May. Our daughter, Sherry Sybertz ’10, graduated from Middlebury Institute of International Studies with an MBA in May and now works for Dole Food Company in Monterey, Calif.”
Donald Zilkha writes that he and Virginia have three sons and says, “With any luck, my youngest will apply to Wesleyan.” Don has spent much of his career as an investor in restructuring, venture, and private equity, including Colt’s Manufacturing in Hartford. He’s had “the good fortune to have traveled extensively, often for business.” He has also lived abroad for several years and is “quite involved in food and wine.”
Daoud Haroon spent summer 2015 engaged in “continued musical and spiritual research” in Thailand with an interesting stay in Istanbul. He spent portions of the month of Ramadan in both countries. Last May and June, he and his wife spent a “chilly South African winter” in Johannesburg in Soweto and the outlying townships. He made many new friends among the growing dance and arts communities that surround both: Moving Into Dance Mophatong [midance.co.za] and Artist Proof Studio [artistproofstudio.co.za].
They also stayed for a month at a guest house located in Camps Bay, on the ocean side of Table Mountain, between Hout Bay and downtown Cape Town. He reports, “Contrary to popular belief in the States, apartheid is still alive and thriving in South Africa under ever new guises.” He had an opportunity to interview a broad scope of whites and blacks from many diverse racial, ethnic, and political backgrounds and, “they all agree that, like racism in America, apartheid will continue to flourish for a long time into the distant future.”
He continues to practice his instruments and is now trying to write a story a day. Anyone interested in his adventures can check him out on mancebomosaic.com.
After a long absence, Edward “Eddie” Nathan, one of my senior year roommates from East College, says he had little contact with Wesleyan, except to “chide it for having discontinued my alumni magazine. I used the conversation to inform the Wes rep of my singular contribution to Wesleyan history: the prefix “Wes,” which I had attached to our athletic teams as a reporter, and later sports editor, at The Argus, e.g., Wescrew, Weslax. Imagine my thrill, many years later, when the admission office invited me to mail in a ‘Wescheck’ in support of my older daughter’s application.” He concludes, “This is as close to immortality as I am likely to come.”
George “Bud” Brainard is a professor of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Since the 1980s, he has taught medical school and done research on the biological and behavioral effects of light on humans. He says, “My laboratory has worked with NASA on various light-related projects. In 2008, we began collaborating with Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center (JSC), and Harvard on developing and testing a solid-state lighting system to be used on the International Space Station (ISS).”
His lab was honored with the JSC Director’s Award for Innovation in 2015. As of early January, eight of the solid-state lights they helped develop were installed on ISS. “Ultimately, all of the lights in the U.S. portion of the space station will be replaced with the new solid-state lighting,” he says. They are doing a study on astronauts on the ISS to see if this new lighting system can improve sleep and daytime alertness.
Over the years, he sees classmate Fred Markham on a routine basis since he is also on the faculty at Jefferson. He periodically sees classmates Steve Kallaugher and enthusiastically supports Steve’s work on the Young Heroes Foundation. He periodically sees Mickey Rubinstein, and once in awhile Steve Grilli, Steve Berman ’72, Jim Shepherd ’72, and honorary classmate, Donny Shea.
Martin G. Bunin has joined Farrell Fritz’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring Practice Group as partner. The law firm says, “Marty’s experience includes the representation of committees in Chapter 11 cases, with an emphasis on unsecured creditors’ committees in cases filed by hospitals and other healthcare businesses, resort hotels, manufacturers, service businesses and owners of real estate. Additionally, Marty is a mediator in bankruptcy and bankruptcy-related disputes in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere.”
Sheryl Richter says that after her husband passed away more than four years ago, she met a “terrific guy” through online dating. His spouse had also passed away. She and Evan Feist, DVM, were married on Dec. 13. They share common interests, including golf and duplicate bridge, although, she adds, “I don’t think it’s fair to lump my golf into the same sentence as his (he’s a single-digit handicap golfer).”
Finally, there is sad news to report about Garrett J. Delehanty, known as an avid golfer, reader, and traveler, and for his sense of humor and the stories he would tell about his family. Garrett died last Nov. 13 at the age of 64 after being hospitalized for an illness. He had just celebrated 40 years of practicing commercial real estate law.
