Tag: 2011

Hi Class of 2011,

Lots of exciting news!

Sara Quinn writes, “I had a baby in April, Angelo Rain Kylstra-Quinn. He is the best. My wife, Marijke, and I are loving being parents. I just returned to work as a reading specialist at a middle school in Atlanta. Sending love to everybody!”

Jeffrey Breau completed his MDiv degree at Harvard Divinity School in May and is now program lead for psychedelics and spirituality at Harvard’s Center for the Study of World Religions. 

Sam Backer just moved from Brooklyn/Baltimore to Bangor, where he is starting as an assistant professor of history at the University of Maine.

Donovan Arthen reports, “This year my wife and I welcomed our new son into our family— Avenn was born last January. I have also become the interim executive director of Orion Magazine.”

Darien Combs contributes, “I am a licensed bilingual psychologist in Denver, Colorado, and I have a private practice providing therapy, consultations, and immigration evaluations. I welcomed my daughter to the world in March of 2024. :)”

Laura Heath-Stout writes, “My book, Identity, Oppression, and Diversity in Archaeology: Career Arcs, is coming out from Routledge this October 31.”

This past May, Bulaong (Ramiz) completed her educational leadership and policy studies doctorate from the University of Kansas. Since then, she has been working as a consultant and organizing with the Connecticut Palestine Solidarity Coalition to push for divestment and redirect state funds into more social service programs for our local communities here in Connecticut. 

Max Slater and his wife, Megan, are raising three fun and wild kids in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Raising three kids under the age of six has given Max much joy and many gray hairs. When he is not spending time with his own family, Max practices family law. In the words of the great legal scholar Vin Diesel, “You never turn your back on family.”

Kara Perez recently moved back to Massachusetts after 12 years below the Mason-Dixon Line. Her first book, Green Money: How to Reduce Waste, Build Wealth, and Create a Better Future for All, will be published on November 27, 2024.

Thanks for all the great updates!

Allie

Hi, Class of 2011,

Hope you’re doing well. Fun additions to our class below!

Allie Altman (née Diamond) is living in Berkeley with her husband, Eli, and just welcomed their daughter, Josephine, in the fall of last year. She graduated with her PhD in clinical psychology in 2022 and is currently seeing patients and doing research as a psychologist at UCSF.

Donovan Arthen writes, “This January my wife and I welcomed our son, Avenn, into the world!”

Congratulations, Allie and Donovan!

Best,

Allie

Max Slater and his wife, Megan, welcomed boy-girl twins last year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their older son Levi started pre-kindergarten this fall. Max is working as an administrative law judge, and recently earned a black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, as well as his CrossFit L1 coaching certification. He is constantly in awe of his wife’s badassery as a civil rights litigator.

Laura Heath-Stout writes, “Allegra ’12 and I and our toddler, River, are moving to California! I’ll be starting a postdoc at the Archaeology Center at Stanford, and Allegra will continue working remotely for JOIN for Justice, an organization that trains Jewish people in community organizing. We’re excited to spend more time with our Wesleyan friends in the Bay Area!”

Siena Kramer is working as a nurse educator in the Neurocritical Care Unit at Tufts Medical Center and got married to Charles Tandler on June 23, 2023! They will be moving back to Palo Alto, California, in June 2024.

Emily Pontecorvo contributes, “Earlier this year I joined Heatmap News as one of the founding staff writers. Heatmap is a subscription-based online magazine doing original reporting and analysis of the most pressing stories of climate change and the transition to clean energy for a broad audience. Check us out at Heatmap.news!

Kara Perez lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her partner, after a decade in Austin, Texas. She owns Bravely Go, a financial media company, and has discovered a deep passion for explaining what an index fund is.

Susie Howe writes, “2023 was a year of changes for me! I got married on July 1 to Sam O’Connor-Divelbiss in Wayne, Illinois. We both got new jobs on Chicago’s North Shore– Sam will be teaching math in Wilmette and I will be teaching Latin at Lake Forest High School after seven years at Elgin Academy. Those who knew me from the Wes equestrian team will be happy to learn that I bought my first horse in 2021. My time at Wesleyan developed my love of horses and Latin and both have become major parts of my life.”

A. J. Chan and his wife, Hilary Burke Chan ’10, welcomed their second child, Oliver Tobias Chan, in November 2022. Ollie and his older sister Rosie were able to visit Wesleyan this summer and sit on Foss Hill!

Tim Morley and I welcomed our first child, Joseph “Joey” Arthur Morley on June 8 in Hartford, Connecticut. Joey and his friend Ollie got to sport matching Wes onesies when they met each other this summer!

Thanks for the contributions this cycle!

Class of 2011,

It’s that time of year again! Thanks for everyone’s contributions. Read below to see what our classmates are up to.

Becky Eidelman contributes, “Todd Rosenthal ’10 and I welcomed our son Felix Rosenthal to the world almost a year ago. He was born March 25, 2022.”

Cheryl Chitty Tan is fundraising for The Monster in the Mirror, a musical she wrote lyrics for that gets staged this May in Singapore. She’s thinking about trying out a bigger acting market. She was in the first episode of season three of Westworld and wants to hang out with the Wes mafia.

Allison Klion said that Kapish Singla forecasted she would close her art gallery and become a housewife. She is now raising a one-year-old in the suburbs but is not in New Jersey as predicted—her husband is from Morris County though. She awaits the oracle’s next prophecy.

Phoebe (née Stonebraker) Kilmoon was recently hired as a features contributor at The Onion. Also here’s an update on her previous update: She didn’t move to LA. Instead, she and her husband, James (né McCarthy) Kilmoon, bought a house in Jersey. But they currently live in Atlanta where they are filming James’s movie. Phoebe is expecting another baby in May and is very happy and tired.

Devon Hopkins writes, “I’m starting a new job as the chief marketing officer for Raftr, a private online community platform for higher education and nonprofits. I’ve been spending my time between Santa Monica, California, and Lake Arrowhead, California, where my partner and I have a little cabin in the mountains that we Airbnb to friends and family. I’ve also been enjoyed playing League of Legends: Wild Rift with fellow alumni Seth Halpern ’09, Christian Hoyos, and Anthony Smith.”

Thanks everyone!

Best,

Allie

Hi Class of 2011,

Hope this finds you well and having enjoyed a wonderful 2022 and now 2023!

Austin Woolridge writes, “Players’ Lounge (co-founded by me) raised its Series A.” https://venturebeat.com/games/players-lounge-raises-10-5m-in-funding-plans-future-expansion.

Joe Giaimo contributes, “Emily and I welcomed a baby boy, Joey, back in July. Our oldest, Siena, is enjoying her new role as big sister, and we all enjoyed a fun time together at Homecoming in November watching the Cardinals take home the Little Three Football Championship with a win over Amherst!”

Thank you to all who continue to support our annual class gift. Last year we raised $10,753 with classmates supporting financial aid, sports teams, clubs, departments, and more. This year we have a goal of $14,000. We hope to surpass total donor totals of 200! Please consider supporting with a donation by going to wesleyan.edu/giving. Thanks for the update on this, Joe!

All my best,

Allie

Hi Class of 2011,

Hope this finds you all having a wonderful and healthy fall. See exciting updates from our class!

Moon Herrick contributes a group note, “I’m living in Brooklyn, just a few blocks away from Elspeth Kelly, her husband Bruce Pettig ’12, and their dog Roo. Elspeth is a practicing clinical psychologist and extremely active member of Muddy Paws Rescue. Reach out to her if you’re looking for a foster or new furry member of your fam!

“Samantha Pearlman and Ross Shenker are a single subway ride away on the UWS. Sammy is killing it as singer/songwriter, and as a member of the singing group America’s Sweethearts. She continues to act and teach singing lessons in between, and is engaged to be married.

“I commute to D.C. for my new job at the Department of State, where I specialize in forest and climate policy issues. I stay with Liza Conrad, who is working tirelessly for Stacey Abrams, and has recently adopted an adorable dog named Otis. Graham Richman is technically based in D.C., but he’s usually on tour with Bartees Strange, being a literal rock star.” Thanks, Moon!

Further west, Jordana Hoyt and David Markowitz are thriving together in Seattle with their wise and ageless dog Willy. Elise Rosenthal is a practicing ob-gyn based in Dallas, Texas, and, incidentally, is engaged to be married. Lauren Goldstein is in St. Louis with her husband and her adorable son, Herbie—the clan’s beloved first born.

Gus Spelman writes, “After ignoring each other at Wesleyan for three years, flirting in Chicago for three more, and then dating for seven after that, Gus Spelman and Charlotte Cottier ’12 were married this June.” Congrats Gus and Charlotte!

Allegra Heath-Stout ’12 and Laura Heath-Stout “Welcomed our child, River, to the world in November 2021. Their current favorite hobbies include scooting around on their belly, splashing in water, eating watermelon, being bounced up and down, riding in a carrier while a mom hikes, and chomping on various objects with their new teeth.”

Becky Eidelman and Todd Rosenthal ’10 welcome their new baby boy, Felix Rosenthal, on March 25, 2022. Congrats!

As always, thanks for the updates!

Hi Class of 2011,

See updates from our class below. Thanks to all who contributed!

Phoebe (née Stonebraker) Kilmoon is currently writing for the sketch comedy TV show Studio C. She and her husband welcomed their first kid, Desmond, in April 2021. They’ll be moving to LA this spring.

Marshall Johnson writes, “I got engaged to my longtime partner Becky Bradley in December 2021. We are planning a spring/summer 2023 wedding.”

Dr. Christopher Ceccolini is excited to share that he completed his PhD in counseling psychology this spring after finishing his residency at NYU School of Medicine. He looks forward to starting his postdoctoral fellowship at Weill Cornell Medicine this fall in their psychotic disorders division. He’s super grateful for the emotional support of his Wesleyan friends during the six years of his doctoral journey, especially from Jordan Gratch ’13. The doctor is in!

Issy Magowan tells us, “I gave birth to my first child, a baby girl named Imogen, on August 24th. In the past year I have shot for both The New Yorker and Time magazine. I’m continuing to make new photographic work.”

Hi Class of 2011,

Great updates to read below. Thanks to all of you who contributed!

Kim Prosise is currently living in Boston, Massachusetts. She works as a performing artist and talent agent with her events company, Gold Arrow LLC, and spends her free time writing, hiking, and trying new desserts. She contributes to a number of causes and has become particularly passionate about premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) awareness.

Mallory Cruz writes, “I was recently invited to contribute a chapter to the book, Sincerely, Your Autistic Child. It was published back in April. It’s an anthology written by autistic individuals where we talk about our experiences growing up autistic and what we want relatives of autistic children to know and understand.”

Barbara Fenig and Patrick Cline welcomed their daughter, Eleanor, on April 8, 2021.

Ameen Beydoun (Film Studies) who is currently living in San Diego, California, tells us, “I published my first graphic novel called Habibti Pada. Available at www.ameenbeydoun.com. I was product manager for EdTech Company in Nairobi (2018–2020), launched a solar refrigeration startup in Dakar, Senegal (2018), and received a masters and MBA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies 2016–2018.” From 2015 to 2016 Ameen was an English teacher at Peace Corps Comoros and also an English teacher at Peace Corps Liberia from 2012 to 2014.

Tyler Wuthmann graduated from naturopathic medical school last month. He tells us, “An odd four years to be in medical school for sure but informative. I’m excited to start my residency in Seattle, Washington, in September. It is an integrative residency focused on family medicine and primary care at Bastyr Center for Natural Health.”

Eliza Gordon is starting her third year as an elementary school principal in Austin, Texas. She returned to the University of Texas at Austin to begin her doctorate this summer in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy in the Cooperative Superintendency Program with the hopes of completing her dissertation in three years.

Jacob Mergendoller graduated from New York University’s School of Social Work in May and started working as a psychotherapist at a community mental health center based in Manhattan (and anywhere else Zoom is available).

Thank you!