Class Notes

Since graduating from Wesleyan, Kyra Beckmann has been living in Los Angeles, amassing marketing expertise and enjoying the sunshine. She joined Sephora a year ago as the director of content production and is active in the evolving content landscape.

Lyz Nardo Levy writes, “We are counting down in the Levy household—we will welcome baby girl #2 in early March. My daughter Mila (13 months) will be promoted to the role of Big Sister and my husband, who always dreamed of being surrounded by women, will get his wish (just maybe not the way he intended).”

Kate Krems graduated from George Washington Law in May, gave birth to her second child, Adela, in June, and somehow managed to pass the Bar in July. She works for Zuckerman Law, a small firm specializing in employment and whistleblower law in the D.C.-metro area and takes time to practice and teach yoga when she can.

Emma Komlos-Hrobsky writes, “2019 was a year of wild and weird pleasures in writing for me. In June, with support from the Elizabeth George Foundation, I made a trip to CERN, the international particle research center outside Geneva, to research a novel. It was nothing short of life-changing to see such wonders as the Compact Muon Solenoid that detected the Higgs boson and to interview women particle physicists about their work. In September, The Colony—a performance piece about sisterhood and the eusocial behavior of army ants—premiered at UConn; it was a treat to co-write it with my friend Anna Lindemann and to imagine what an ant aria might sound like. Otherwise, I am living in New York City with my longtime boyfriend Matt and hoping for more particle physics and bugs in 2020.”

Amanda Sim is happy to announce the launch of a new design studio, Working Hard. Working Hard is a design consultancy that creates visual experiences and design solutions with a special focus on taking on projects for social good. In tandem, Working Hard has also created a line of desk organization products—the first product set just went live in January. Check it out at work-work-work.com.

Alicia Collen Zeidan | acollen@wesleyan.edu

Happy New Year, Class of 2007! Megan here to keep you posted on what’s new. Exciting news: Maude Bass-Krueger curated an exhibition in NYC with an accompanying book published by Yale University Press. Maude adds that the book was “designed by the fab Irma Boom to boot!” The expo got rave reviews from Roberta Smith at the New York Times.

Wedding bells continue to ring: Eric Altneau reports that Ben Byers was married to Loretta Douglas on Sept. 1, 2019.

David Scardella and Jaime Wendel are living in Pembroke, Mass., with their two sons Tyler (17-months) and Andrew (3). David owns a dental practice in Duxbury, Mass., and Jaime is a manager of donor relations and events at Crossroads for Kids, a Duxbury nonprofit.

Finally, Jane Charles-Voltaire is a lawyer working with the International Association of Women Judges. She and her husband Paul currently live in Santiago, Chile, and will be moving to Madrid, Spain, this summer.

As always, please keep sending us any and all updates!

Megan Harrington | megan.kretz@gmail.com

Victoria Belyavsky Pinsky | victoriapinsky@gmail.com

Captain Jesse Sommer is deployed to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army’s 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Stephanie Marcus and Jon Shestakofsky welcomed their own Wes baby, Theo, in November 2018. Last August they celebrated their five-year wedding anniversary. They have been living in Cooperstown, N.Y., for four years. Steph is an elementary art teacher and Jon is VP of communications and education at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Marcella Winearls | marcellawinearls@gmail.com

Alison Criscitiello, director of the Canadian Ice Core Lab, is leading several multi-disciplinary, multi-national ice coring initiatives, including an upcoming expedition to drill an ice core high on Mount Logan’s summit plateau (loganice.ca). Her daughter, Winter, just turned 1!

In August, Mark Forscher joined Bison Trails, the leading blockchain infrastructure provider, as head of brand and design. The company announced its $25.5 million Series A financing round and is one of the founding members of the Libra Association.

Ryan Garbalosa was named the Best Cardiologist for 2019 in the first annual Best of Clarendon Awards hosted by the county newspaper. The Sumter Item recognizes professionals in Clarendon county. Also, he was selected as one of the Top 20 under 40 young professionals in the Sumter-Clarendon-Lee tri-county area. He serves on the medical executive committee for Tuomey Hospital and as the medical director of the cardiac rehabilitation and echocardiography departments at McLeod Clarendon Hospital.

John Graham has expanded his high-end cultural tourism business to include Ethiopia! While completing his PhD, John has been leading tours in Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey since 2006. Details listed at johngrahamtours.com. He would love to have Wes alumni on the tours!

In September, Joey Wender, his wife, Lauren, and their 3-year-old son, Sam, welcomed Abby Wender into the world.

Tejas Desai befriended Zaheed Essack ’05 and Rashida Abuwala ’05 after meeting them at a mutual friend’s wedding in Brooklyn! He also hung out with Brett Carty ’04 for the first time in many years when he helped set up a play date with Ted and Laurie Quinn, Bayard Templeton, and their wonderful children on a trip to Philly! As for his books, in December 2019 The Brotherhood became a #1 bestseller on Amazon in two separate categories and briefly surpassed Crazy Rich Asians and Pachinko on the Asian-American bestseller list. The Brotherhood also won the Pencraft Award in the Fiction-General category and both it and its sequel, The Run and Hide, have continued to garner great reviews. He is going on another Southeast Asia trip in February and working on the final edits for his next book, The Dance Towards Death, scheduled to be released in the fall.

Tim Schwartz’s first book, A Public Service: Whistleblowing, Disclosure and Anonymity, was released by OR Books in January. Thomas Drake, a former NSA executive and whistleblower, described the book as providing “a practical roadmap when making that often life-altering choice of standing up and exposing abuse and misuse of power across all sectors of society.” The goal of this book is to help individuals expose unethical and illegal acts while limiting retaliation.

Stu Sherman was awarded a two-year grant to support his ongoing legal aid work for low-income seniors with diminished capacity. In March he announced his candidacy for the New York City Council in 2021. His district (33) covers north Brooklyn, downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill, and the East River waterfront.

Nezia Azmi formalized a “side hustle” and became executive director of Arts Focus Southeast Asia (artsfocus.org), a Honolulu-based nonprofit entity that promotes and fosters an appreciation of the arts of Southeast Asia through education, performance, preservation, collaboration, and innovation. She completed her first documentary film showcasing the unique Asian Theatre Program at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa; the film walks through the four-month process of rehearsals and training to produce a professional award-winning theatre production with a primarily student cast and crew and a core team of Balinese guest artists. Her “main hustle” remains as the lead for global engagement at the College of Education on the same campus. She and husband Paul Rausch never get tired of waking up to views Diamond Head and going in to work in beautiful Mānoa Valley every day.

Last October, after four years of development, Jamie Antonisse and his team at Sirvo Studios released their debut mobile game Guildlings on Apple Arcade. Jamie and his family are basking in the warm glow of positive reviews and bathing in a sea of customer support emails. They dream of taking a real vacation someday soon.

On a personal note, on Oct. 26, my husband and I welcomed our daughter, Zoe Madeline Gottlieb, to the world. My daughter and I share a birthday!

Amy Tannenbaum Gottlieb | atannenbaum@wesleyan.edu

Thanks to everyone who wrote in at the start of 2020. It’s nice to kick off the new year with some feel-good news!

Andrew Calica and his wife, Jacqueline, welcomed their third child at the end of 2019. Baby Theodore made the perfect gift, arriving just in time for the holidays.

Melody Moezzi just finished her second year teaching creative writing at UNC Wilmington, as well as her book, The Rumi Prescription: How an Ancient Mystic Poet Changed My Modern Manic Life, which was published by an imprint of Penguin Random House. Melody’s husband, Matthew Lenard ’00, finished his second year as a PhD student at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. The couple lives happily between Wilmington, N.C., and Cambridge, Mass., with their two ungrateful cats, Keshmesh and Nazanin.

Woody Fu co-created a digital series, UR Asian Friend, produced by Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy and Nerdist. One of the shorts, Ghost, is an official selection at Just For Laughs (Montréal) and Just For Laughs Northwest (Toronto). Oh, Canada! Woody toured his one-man character show, Too Many Asians!, at San Francisco Sketchfest and Upright Citizens Brigade Franklin in Los Angeles.

Chietigj Bajpaee and his wife, Neha, welcomed a new baby girl into their family. In the same year, Chietigj found time to complete a PhD at King’s College London, and he intends to publish his dissertation as a book. He also works for Equinor (Norwegian energy company) as a political adviser on its global strategy and business development team. Chietigj, please tell us your secret for squeezing more time out of a 24-hour day.

In 2019, Roger Smith’s passions for environmental advocacy and “all things Japan” finally merged when he started a new job with the environmental protection organization, Mighty Earth, to fight against coal-fired power plants in Japan. Roger invites any Wesleyan alumni passing through Tokyo to reach out!

Heather Tseng packed up and moved the family from Colorado to North Carolina, where they’re now trying to assimilate into Southern culture (bless their hearts). Heather still works in marketing, volunteers in animal rescue, and trains a young horse for show jumping. Another Wes slacker over here!

Seriously, you guys are all such overachievers, we’d get an inferiority complex if we didn’t like you so much. Thanks to everyone who shared their news. We wish all of our 2001 family (and the rest of Wes) a happy and healthy 2020.

Your 2001 keepers of the notes,

Mara Voukydis | maravee@gmail.com

Aryn Sperando | arynsperandio@yahoo.com

Can you believe it’s been 20 years since we graduated from Wesleyan?

Bakley Smith writes “Since I last checked in, I got married in 2013 and live in Brooklyn with my wife and our 3-year-old daughter. After a few years in very entrepreneurial projects (with, um, limited success), I began working for a small investment bank here in NYC that focuses on better-for-you food and drink products. I’m still in touch with and good friends with members of the Class of ’00 and will be more so as a class agent this year.”

Claudia Cruz accepted the position of director of internships and experiential learning at the Reynolds School of Journalism of the University of Nevada in Reno. This means that after nine years of living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area she’s headed to the Reno-Tahoe community. She’d love to connect with Cardinals in the area or with those just passing through.

Last but not least, Shawn Green, in Western Massachusetts, is working for Sunpower, helping homeowners convert to solar power.

Avery Esdaile | wesleyan2000@gmail.com

2020 marks the beginning of the second decade of the millennium, so it seems fitting to start some updates about several “seconds.” Greg Brodsky and his wife, Heather Mumford, live in Jamaica Plain and welcomed their second child, a boy named Benjy Mumford Brodsky. Jen Schockett and her husband, Dave, welcomed their second son, Zachary Ezra, joining big brother Max Lev. He was born August 31, three weeks early, eager to greet them. Jose Stevenson and his wife, Dalia, welcomed their second child, Javier Gelvin Stevenson on May 11. He’s a happy, chunky guy, quickly outgrowing any clothes they buy him, including his Wesleyan onesie! Older brother Emmanuel is madly in love with him and just wants to kiss him and make him laugh all day. The adjustment to two-kid life is tough but they are filled with love by these two! In October, David Faigin and his wife, Carol Ann, celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary and welcomed their second child, Acer. Six-year-old brother Westley is thrilled! For 12 years, David has been working as a clinical psychologist, serving veterans at the VA. 2020 is also meaningful for David and his wife because it marks 10 years living in the glorious state of Maine.

Arthur Baraf is in his 14th year as a high school principal, and in addition to his leadership at The Met High School in Providence, R.I., he is in his third year as featured speaker in the Nellie Mae Education Foundation Speakers Bureau, specializing in student-centered learning. His daughters are now 9 and 11, and he still plays Ultimate Frisbee.

Jeffrey Blumenthal finished his MA in geography (resource management and environmental planning) from SFSU in December.

After a year-long sabbatical at the University of Glasgow dental school, Aimee Dawson moved back home to Québec City, enjoying lots more snow, but fewer rainbows than in Scotland.

Shoshe Cole achieved her goal of becoming a professor at a liberal arts school in 2015, but quit academia a couple of years later, after helping her adjunct colleagues form a union and negotiate their first union contract. Since then she’s been focusing on homesteading on her property in Ithaca, N.Y., while figuring out a new career. Her latest project hails back to her PhD research in Martian geology: cataloging the data from the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, which is currently archived but not easily searchable. This is a huge task that should keep her occupied for many years, and she plans to recruit cataloging assistants who are interested in space science and exploration but chose not to major in a STEM field.

Real estate-focused law firm Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP promoted Daniel Engler to partner. Dan’s practice focuses on the buying, selling, leasing, and development of real property. He joined the firm in 2012 and is a member of firm’s San Francisco Real Estate and Renewable Energy Development team. Engler’s expertise spans the residential, commercial, mixed-use, health care, and renewable energy sectors. and he represents clients in complex real estate transactions and land use and entitlement matters.

Sarah Maine lives and works in New York City where she is the set decorator for CBS’s Blue Bloods. More importantly, she and husband Scott welcomed their son Maceo in November 2018. Whenever geography and busy schedules allow, Sarah tries to see Karen Correa, Rob Finn ’98, Allison Radecki ’98, and Neal Wilkinson ’98.

Leila Buck, based in Brooklyn with her husband Adam Abel ’98, has loved being in the Bay Area a bunch, working on a commission from California Shakespeare Theater. Her show, a contemporary response to One Thousand and One Nights, runs in August through September, so if you’re in the Bay Area or nearby, would love to see you there (calshakes.org).

This July, Elsie Kagan and Carl Robichaud embark on a year-long world-schooling adventure with their children, Jasper (10), Lex (9), and Willa (5). Elsie will make art and teach at residencies in Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. Carl is leaving Carnegie Corporation of New York, where for the past decade he has led the foundation’s grantmaking on nuclear security. During their year away, their home in the Hudson Valley will serve as the site for Interlude Artist Residency, a new program they founded to meet the needs of visual artists who are actively parenting

An update from co-class secretary, Kevin. He’s nearly a year into his work at Quartet Health, where the team is trying to make it easier for people to get access to the mental health care they need. If you are working in health care or behavioral health, please let Kevin know! We continue to enjoy serving as your class secretaries and would love to hear from others. We wish you all the best as the new year/decade continues to unfold.

C. Darryl Uy | darryl.uy@gmail.com

Kevin Kumler | kevinkumler@gmail.com

Hi, fellow ’98ers. After a decade or so of doing our class notes, I (Jason) am ready to pass the torch on to someone else. Abby has been my class notes partner for the past three issues and will stay on, but it would be nice if she had some help. Would any of you be willing to help keep this going? It’s fulfilling to keep everyone informed but it’s easier when two people do it. If you can, email Abby or me. And, here are your notes:

After 20 years of making commercial video games, Simon Strange has returned to academia, becoming a PhD candidate at the University of Abertay in Dundee, Scotland. His goal is to earn the world’s first PhD specifically focused on game design and production. Not to be outdone, Simon’s teenage son, Oskar, hopes to attend Hogwarts during that same period.

Sean Dague is now part of the quantum computing team at IBM, helping make this next great leap in computing accessible to the public. He and Susan Tveekrem MA’99 live in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and have a daughter, Arwen, who just started kindergarten this year. To celebrate her 5th birthday, they revived the old Wesleyan Physics Department tradition of making liquid nitrogen ice cream. The 15 kids with safety glasses on all loved both the show and the ice cream that followed.

A few annual traditions keep them in touch with Wesfolks. For their Memorial Day party, they got to host Trey Belew and his wife, Lara. They took the train up from Maryland where Trey is part of the research staff at the biology department of UMD. Shoshe Cole ’99 stopped by on her way back from the 20th Reunion. She’s living in Ithaca, N.Y., and recently completed her PhD in planetary science. They also were visited by Mike Christie-Fogg and wife Kaileah and their twin daughters. They made it a day trip from their place in Mystic, Conn. Mike has transitioned from woodworking to faux bois, and you can see his work at David Sutherland’s showroom in Manhattan.

Another annual tradition is camping in the Catskills with Scott McCracken and family. The McCracken clan has been doing this since their first child was born 13 years ago. Sean and Susan joined when Arwen was 1. When not pitching a tent or grilling burgers over an open fire in a 24-inch frying pan, Scott works as the medical director for a community health center.

They got to see Nick Coleman and wife H.N. James last summer. Nick is now a tenured professor of computer science at Austin Peay University in Tennessee. A few years ago, Sean, Susan, and Arwen visited them in Tennessee to see the great American solar eclipse. The epicenter came right over their apartment complex, and they had a full day of eclipse festivities, including solar scopes and snacks all day long.

Inspired by Anil Seth, Sean has become very involved in Citizens Climate Lobby, a volunteer organization that is lobbying congress to put a steadily rising fee on CO2 emissions and returning that money to households as a monthly dividend. He participated in two D.C. lobby days this year, the second with Trey Belew. The end of lobby day saw 75 co-sponsors for H.R. 763, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, the legislation they are advocating for.

Back in New York, this volunteer work was a great excuse to reconnect with Alison ’97 and Brent Spodek. Brent is the rabbi leading the Beacon Hebrew Alliance and lent early support to the bill, and Alison is a professor of chemistry at Vassar College. Sean had an opportunity to give a guest lecture in Alison’s climate change class this last spring on making climate policy.

Dahlia Schweitzer writes: “I have published another book (L.A. Private Eyes) with Rutgers University Press, and I have moved back to NYC for a teaching position at FIT in film and media studies. I’m really excited to get back in touch with all my Wesleyan people who live out on the East Coast and to finally be able to make it back to campus for the occasional visit.”

Jason Becton | jason@mariebette.com

Abby Elbow | aelbow@gmail.com

In the fall, Francisco Tezen wrote to us about his wife Linda Rodriguez: “Linda is an executive director of Global Philanthropy at JP Morgan Chase. She was recognized last week by the New York City Council for her leadership in expanding opportunities for youth in New York City and around the country through her work. The recognition was part of the Council’s Puerto Rican Heritage celebration at City Hall.” We are thrilled that Linda’s work was honored.

Kimberly Rae Gilbert wrote to us from Boulder, Col.: “I recently published a children’s picture book I wrote called When We March (WhenWeMarch.com), which explains why citizens (even the very youngest!) in a democracy take to the streets in peaceful protest. Creating the book was a true community act and a labor of love. My co-creator and I relied on volunteer efforts and crowdfunding to get it done—including the love and support of dozens of Wes friends. Now we’re paying it forward by donating 100-plus books and working with nationwide organizations that support children’s education and serve marginalized populations. I’m so grateful that sharing this book continues to fortify its underlying message: that there’s joy and power in working together to promote the best in us.” We love this message!

We heard from Emy Johnson Zener, who works as a psychiatric social worker living in Washington Heights with Max Zener ’94 and their 13-year-old daughter Lucy. “We just celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary. After 18 years working in community mental health, I started a private psychotherapy practice for adults in Washington Heights. I also work part-time as a psychotherapist at Housing Works on the Lower East Side, working with adults dealing with issues such as HIV, homelessness, and addiction, in addition to having other mental health needs. I sing with MasterVoices, a NYC chorus, under the baton of Ted Sperling, and do several concerts per year. In addition to classical works, we also do musical theatre and more experimental works. It is thrilling to sing back-up to some true masters in such venues as Carnegie Hall and City Center and to be able to keep one foot in the performing world while doing other work that I love. Max is working full-time as an audiobook narrator and actor. Lucy is soon to celebrate her bat mitzvah with our unique Humanistic Jewish congregation. She is in eighth grade at the Lang School, a school for twice exceptional (“2e”) kids—gifted kids with disabilities—and is thriving in this amazing educational environment.” Emy and Max, we are so happy to learn about your work. Mazel tov to Lucy!

In the fall of 2019, Alek Lev wrote and directed his second feature film, entitled WHAT? “It’s a black and white, silent, feature comedy with a cast and crew of deaf and hearing artists. Inspired by Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, the film tells the story of a deaf actor, fed up with Hollywood, who decides to take matters into his own . . . hands. The film is in post-production now, and the next steps are film festival submissions and (silent) prayer. Go behind the scenes at TheWhatMovie.com.” We’re all crossing our fingers for you, Alek!

Cyrus Bryden reached out from Charlotte, N.C., where he has been living for 15 years and where he works in the accounting industry. “This past year, Dave Katz and I were fortunate to go see the Patriots play in the NFL Superbowl. In 2019, I traveled to many foreign countries which included Luxembourg, Finland, and Estonia. While in Finland, I reconnected with Charly Salonius-Pasternak where we experienced several saunas and an October swim in the Baltic Sea.” So fun!

In December, Derek DiMatteo successfully defended his dissertation, “Academic Dissent: U.S. Higher Education Protest Literature, 1985-2015” and graduated from Indiana University, earning a PhD in English with a concentration in literature and a minor in American studies. “As of this month, I am a visiting lecturer in the Department of English at IU Bloomington, teaching full time while I search for a tenure track position in the USA or abroad.” Congratulations, Derek! We wish you the best in your job search.

Elijah Hawkes wrote to us from Vermont: “I’ve been glad to cross paths in recent months with good friends and Wes grads Omar Rahim ’96, Brion Winston, and Ruben Fleischer. Omar shared with me a wonderful short film he wrote and directed called Agency, which has recently screened at South Asian film festivals in Chicago and NYC. Ruben shared stories of his work as a director and producer, including how much he enjoyed reuniting with the cast Zombieland for the sequel. Brion lives with his wife Melanie Schoen outside of Albany. Brion—in addition to working full time as a heart surgeon—has written an original musical production, The Count: A Musical, which comes to NYC in March. I’m in my 20th year working in public schools at teacher and principal, first in NYC and now in Vermont.   have a book coming out this spring, School for the Age of Upheaval: Classrooms that Get Personal, Get Political, and Get to Work (Rowman & Littlefield).“ What fantastic news!

Andrew Frishman wrote that he “spent a delightful few days between X-mas and New Years with Sasha Cooke. Sasha was the inimitable Wesleyan squash coach in the mid/late 1990s and it was great to catch up with him and reconnect with his two amazing teenage children! As always, there was great hiking and skiing, food, music, and discourse on a wide variety of topics.” And “on New Year’s Eve eve (December 30th), I had a rockin’ time going out to see Deer Tick with Christian Housh. He had invited me to see Idles late last year and I’m enjoying the informal tradition that we’re developing of inviting each other out to see concerts in the Cambridge/Boston area. Who else wants in?”

Lauren Porosoff’s second edition of her book will be released in May with the new title Teach Meaningful: Tools to Design the Curriculum at Your Core. Lauren explains, “It’s about empowering teachers to use their values as a starting point for creating more meaningful learning experiences for students.”

Eric Lichtenfeld wrote: “I’m living in Columbus, Ohio, with my wife, our son, and daughter, who are twins, and our two dogs who are not. I’m still writing for the film industry and I’m also a psychotherapist. I’ve just opened my own office, where I specialize in treating trauma, loss and grief, anxiety, and other concerns. Doing this work feels like a real privilege–and considering the various pursuits I’ve been able to enjoy over the last 20-something years, that’s saying something.”

And last, but certainly not least, Eric Bor wrote to us to share some exciting news! “My wife Melanie and I proudly announce the birth of our son, Alexander Myles Bor, aka Xander, born Dec. 19, 2019.” Congratulations, Eric and Melanie! We did the math. Could Xander be a member of Wesleyan’s class of 2042? Hmm . . .

That’s all for now. We love getting your updates, so send them anytime!

Jessica Shea Lehmann | jessica.lehmann@gmail.com

Sasha Lewis Reisen | alewisreisen@gmail.com

Howdy, classmates—I hope this message finds you all well in 2020! I made sure to send out last year with a bang by experiencing an amazing trip to Albania and The Balkans (Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia)—a must see part of the globe for all of you world travelers.

I’ve also enjoyed catching up with Kristen Worrell, Kwesi Fraser, and Javaid Khan via text and email over the last few months.

Marysol Castro sends in news that she’s returned to television as the host of the 9 a.m. hour of the PIX11 Morning News. You can catch it Monday through Friday on channel 11 in New York or stream it on pix11.com. She will continue her duties as PA announcer for the New York Mets. She mentions she has no idea when she’ll sleep, but tell ’96ers to come visit her in the booth if you find yourself at CitiField!

Stacey Samuel (a fellow DMVer) is now executive producer of Al Jazeera America and we might link up soon at a local concert venue, the famed 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C.

Jake Sussman and Jessica Flaxman are living outside of Cambridge, Mass., with their two daughters, Julia (17) and Lydia (11). Jake is a managing director of The Justice Collaborative, a criminal justice reform project. Check out its journalism arm, The Appeal (theappeal.org). Jessica is in her first year of a doctoral program in educational leadership at Penn and consulting with a number of schools. Their biggest family news is that Julia, a senior at Concord Academy, received word that she will be a member of Wesleyan’s class of 2024! Woohoo!

Rallie Snowden writes to say. “Happy New Year,” and to update all that she adopted a second child last year. His name is Miguel and he is joyful and heavily loved by his mama and his sister, Porter. She says that other than being a full-time mama, she’s about to reach her six-year mark of being a university counselor and the LGBTQ coordinator at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va.

Lazar Treschan started a new job as vice president for policy and impact at Here to Here, a new nonprofit in the Bronx that is trying to change NYC high schools and colleges to make them more experiential and utilize more internships and other work-based learning approaches. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, who also works in the nonprofit youth field, and his two kids, Celia and Elodie.

Kelly Bird is living in Philadelphia with her wife, Jane. She’s working on her doctorate in school leadership at UPenn and coaching student-teachers from the master’s program at Penn, working in a South Philly public school. Kelly’s daughter, Oona, is headed to college in the fall, her son, Jacquo, is headed to high school, and she has a baby named Josephine that she and Jane adopted last year.

Dara Federman | darasf@yahoo.com 

Dacque Tirado | dacquetirado@yahoo.com