Tag: 2011

Hi Class of 2011, thanks for everyone’s contributions. Lots of great updates including announcements of growing Wes families! Congrats to everyone!

     Joe Giaimo and his wife, Emily, welcomed their daughter, Siena, back in August! They’re enjoying every second with her and can’t wait to get her to campus soon for her first football and baseball games!

     Alyssa (Bogdanow) Arens is living in the suburbs outside Boston and working in philanthropy at the One8 Foundation. Her day-to-day portfolio is focused on Jewish community engagement, Israel education, and combating anti-Semitism, though in the early months of the COVID crisis, she also helped support the MA COVID-19 Relief Fund. Alyssa and her (non-Wes) husband had a baby daughter, Eleanor, in July 2020. Alyssa includes, “she was born about 10 days before Allie and Katie Rowan had their son, and we’ve had an incredibly active and helpful Wesleyan new moms text thread ever since. Eleanor is looking forward to toddling around Foss in the adorable little Wes outfits her 76 Lawn uncles and aunts sent her—hopefully at our 10 year reunion, if it happens!”

     In other good news, Joella Jones tell us, “I graduated from Columbia Law School in May and am now practicing at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP in New York City. My husband and I are also expecting our first child, due in April.”

    Ameen Beydoun (Film Studies) writes—“Publishing my first graphic novel about a young African girl that immigrates to the Middle East and faces off against monsters and shawarma. Check out the Indiegogo fundraiser and consider pre-ordering your copy of Habibti Pada for yourself or a young person you love!” Ameen is currently living in San Diego, California. Since graduation Ameen was product manager for EdTech Company in Nairobi (2018–2020), launched a solar refrigeration start-up in Dakar, Senegal (2018) and received an MA/MBA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies 2016–2018. Ameen was an English teacher at Peace Corps Comoros and Libera in 2015–2016 and 2013–2014, respectively.

     Cheryl Chitty Tan started pushing singing lessons like crazy during her lockdown and is now an established vocal coach, which helps her choose projects. She wrote lyrics to a musical called The Monster in the Mirror fulfilling a bucket list item. It’s a Birdman meets High School Musical one-take film filmed in a black box; please watch it! She was briefly on Westworld Season 3, episode 1 with Aaron Paul, and is creating a solo show aiming for Australia. She started playing D&D and has been enjoying reconnecting with Alpha Delts. She wants to break into Los Angeles but maybe after things have improved. She hopes everyone will help each other. @cherylchittytan on Instagram.

     Chris Ceccolini writes, “I am excited to be moving to New York City this summer to begin my clinical psychology residency at NYU Langone—Bellevue Hospital Center. I’ve missed New York while working on my counseling psychology PhD in Boston these last five years, and am looking forward to setting down permanent roots. I’m coming home!”

     Ruby Lin is a country HR manager for Hong Kong and Taiwan at Hyphen Group, and Nigel Stacey wants us to still know he is still related to Arthur Stacey ’13.

    Mallory Cruz includes, “Recently, I wrote a piece for a book being published on March 14 this year. The book is called Sincerely, Your Autistic Child, and it’s an anthology of letters autistic adults wrote for parents of autistic children about our own childhoods. It’s so those parents can read it to consider how to approach and think about their child. I’m sure the book description on Amazon explains it better though.”

Hi Class of 2011, hope this finds you healthy and well in a year that has proven to be full of challenges. See our class updates below. 

Lots of new additions to the Wes Family! Ilaria O’Keefe informs us “I gave birth to baby #4 in February, we bought our first home in August, and I continue to work as a birth doula, homeschool our kids, study herbal medicine, and direct and sing music in upstate SC.” Katie (Colasaccco) Rowan writes, “On July 24th, Allie Rowan and I welcomed our son, Nico, into the world! We’ve been settling into the whole parenting-during-a-pandemic thing as best as we can, and Nico’s been a real joy to watch change and grow over the past two months.” Last but not least, Julian Sonnenfeld and his wife Gia had their first baby on July 20, 2020. Grant Jonas Sonnenfeld was born at a heavyweight 9 lbs 13 oz in Charlotte, North Carolina. Julian writes “Grant and Gia are doing great, hopefully a future Cardinal!”

In more exciting news, Alexandra Furnas writes, “I got married to Amy Cesal, just completed a PhD in American politics from University of Michigan, and started as a postdoctoral scholar at the Center for Science of Science and Innovation at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.” Laura Heath Stout is also continuing her education as a new postdoctoral fellow in the writing program at Emory University. She is excited to report she just got a book contract with Routledge for her first book, provisionally titled Identity, Oppression, and Diversity in Archaeology: Career Arcs. Congrats Laura!

Charlotte Cerf writes “my fiance and I are moving to the Burlington, Vermont area as both of our jobs in tech can be done fully remotely.”

As always, thanks for the updates and look forward to continuing to hear from all of you. Stay healthy Class of 2011!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

Yael Chanoff works as an archival film researcher in San Francisco. The most recent documentary she worked on, Athlete A, will be available on Netflix this summer.

Tyler Wuthmann writes, “I’ve moved part-time up to Seattle from San Francisco to attend naturopathic medical school. I’m in my third year as a medical student here in Seattle at the School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. It’s a four-year medical program where I will receive an ND degree and plan to get a residency down in the Bay Area once I graduate in 2021.” He is loving the program and adds, “I still make it down to San Francisco often to be with my fiancé, Mike (unfortunately not a Wesleyan alum, but I try not to hold it against him). We are planning our wedding in the Bay Area for the summer of 2021. I’m mostly seeing patients through telemedicine with attendings in our internal medicine clerkship due to social distancing while helping Seattle flatten the curve.”

Siena Kramer has relocated to Boston, where she will be working at Tufts Medical Center as a neurointensive care nurse.

Ruby Lin Ka Tung is based in Hong Kong, working at MoneyHero/CompareAsiaGroup as a country HR manager.

Jared Gimbel writes, “After becoming viral in Greenland as a result of a video series, I will release an early access version of my first video game, Kaverini: Nuuk Adventures, after multiple delays.” Jared is plotting the sequel, which will take place in a “completely different country.”

Julia Leonard is excited to move back to Connecticut to be an assistant professor of psychology at Yale starting summer 2021.

Thanks for the updates. I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

I hope 2020 is off to a great start for the Class of 2011. Some exciting updates from our classmates below.

Isabel Magowan writes, “I am a working artist and photographer based in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and married last June. Thinking of all my fellow Wes classmates and hoping they are doing well!”

Christopher Ceccolini and Jordan Gratch ’13 finally tied the knot, nearly 10 years after first meeting at Wesleyan. The two were married on Oct. 19, at Gedney Farm in Massachusetts. They were surrounded by many close family and friends, including 26 Wesleyan alumni from numerous graduation years (2010-2014). Jordan is now a first-year associate at Latham & Watkins LLP in New York and Chris is a clinical fellow in psychology at Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Chris looks forward to joining Jordan in New York when he finishes his PhD in counseling psychology next year.

Amanda Faraone lives in Austin, Texas, with husband Alex Anthony ’10, and their son, George. She is the new development director for American Short Fiction and is at work on her novel about teenage girls and love magic.

Becky Eidelman writes, “In the fall, I began a two-year master’s degree program in urban and environmental policy and planning at Tufts University.”

Jared Gimbel became a member of the International Association of Hyperpolyglots (HYPIA) in late 2019. With his video game about Greenland, Kaverini Nuuk Adventures, slated for a 2020 release after many delays, he has begun working on the expansion.

Cheryl Tan writes, “I am still in Singapore! Last year I did four screen projects and a difficult play called Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner, about humanitarian aid workers in conflict zones. It premiered at the Singapore International Arts Festival and took up 13 weeks (two workshop sessions before the full production). It’s a semi-devised work, very tiring.”

Marshall Johnson reports, “Back in September I started a new job in astronomy as a staff scientist at Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO) in Santa Barbara, Calif. LCO operates a network of 23 robotic telescopes at seven observatory sites around the world, and, in my new position, I’m working with our NRES high-resolution spectrographs that we operate at four of those sites, in addition to conducting my own research. I now work closely with Tim Brown ’72, among others.”

Last but not least, Jennifer Spero writes, “I will be marrying Tristan Tully ’09 and moving to London!” Congrats, Jen and Tristan!

As always, thank you for your updates!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

Terrance Agbi joined Forbes magazine as a senior product owner for their digital team last summer. (“We’re hiring! Please reach out if you’re interested,” he said.) He also got engaged to long-time girlfriend, Liane Membis, and will be married in June.

Dani St. Pierre was promoted to senior food/drink editor for BestProducts.com at Hearst Digital Media. She said, “It’s a young e-commerce, news, and product review site—and one of the top-performing e-commerce sites and revenue drivers in the Hearst network.” She was previously an associate food/drink editor.

Becky Eidelman just started a master’s program in urban and environmental policy and planning at Tufts.

Mike Rosen continues to use the platform WESlam gave him to speak internationally on topics of mental health, masculinity, and sexuality. He is an official storyteller for The JED Foundation, and is earning his master’s at the University of Pennsylvania. He jogs in Fort Greene, where he often sees Josh Smith walking his two blind shihtzus and spends time with Samantha Sherman ’09.

Graham Gnall and Kaitlin Ashley were married on June 1, in a Brooklyn ceremony officiated by Ingrid Parl ’10. Attendees included many Wes varsity athletes, fraternal organization and student government members, and surprise guests, including Topanga Cage ’10, marched along Manhattan Ave., to a bacchanal celebration reminiscent of High Street in its heyday.

Cheryl Tan is “still in Singapore, where things have stabilized in terms of visas and money and houses, all your general 30-year-old stuff. Signed with an agency, shortlisted for a Women of the Future Award, featured in a list of 25 Amazing Women in Marie Claire’s 25th Anniversary edition. Did a new play about humanitarian aid workers that was very intense, and a lot of TV that was not super intense. Contemplating the whole balance thing of acting-for-a-living as opposed to making fulfilling art. Also contemplating more training. Thinking about money a lot.” Watch out for her in a teeny-tiny role on an HBO show out soon. Instagram: @cherylchittytan.

Julian Sonnenfeld married Gia Stagliano on May 18 at Wave Hill Public Gardens in the Bronx. He is in his final year of orthopaedic surgery residency at Columbia University Medical Center–New York Presbyterian Hospital, and soon will be starting a sports medicine/shoulder and elbow surgery fellowship at OrthoCarolina in Charlotte, N.C. in August.

Colin Small is working at The Met and writing a novel.

Julia Heffelfinger married Rick Maynard on June 22 in Weekapaug, R.I. The couple has been together since their senior year at Wesleyan and were both film studies majors.

Eliza Gordon just became the principal at a public school in North Austin called Wells Branch Elementary. This is her first principalship after spending the last eight years as a teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal in Austin Public Schools as well.

Lastly, Tim Morley and I (Allie Southam) were married on Sept. 21 in Los Angeles. Close friend A.J. Chan married us overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Several other Wes alumni were in attendance. We’re living in Northampton, Mass., while Tim is completing his general surgery residency at Baystate Medical Center. I’m working as a neurologic physical therapist for Hartford Healthcare.

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

Class of 2011, in very sad news, Sam Silver ’08 writes, “I am deeply saddened to share with you the news of Zachary Rosen’s passing on May 18. Zack suffered in his last several years from schizophrenia, which ultimately took his life. He will be remembered by many as a brilliant musician (playing bass in seemingly every campus band), a powerful thinker, and a singularly generous friend. A memorial for Zack will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at Roulette, 509 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn; members of the Wesleyan community who wish to stay informed may contact Zack’s father, Bob Rosen at brosen@kqandr.com, with the subject ‘Zachary Rosen Memorial.’”

Cheryl Tan, in Singapore, is acting, teaching voice, and striving to be slightly less confused about adulthood. She’s procrastinating on some grant applications right now. She just finished a play called Displaced Persons’ Welcome Dinner for the Singapore International Festival of the Arts. It was about humanitarian aid workers and it was a serious wringer. She’s booked up for the rest of the year, which is pretty great, and has gotten into plants. She scored an Australian agent and wants to get more training, maybe in France. She had a dream about Wesleyan yesterday and it made her sad upon waking. Insta @cherylchittytan.

Corinne Duffy and husband Daniel Levine and Shipra Panicker, Jamie Thabault, Juliet Nebolon, and Chris Michael gathered to celebrate the wedding of Amanda Baker in New Orleans. They enjoyed a second line dance, creole barbecue, New Orleans culture, and 90-degree temperatures. They look forward to celebrating the marriage of Juliet and Chris later this summer!

Maryann Platt reports, “I got my PhD in neuroscience from Columbia in May!” Jared Gimbel writes, “I’m living in Brooklyn and presented at the Polyglot Gathering in Bratislava about the Kiribati and Niuean languages.”

Congratulations to Julia Heffelfinger and Rick Maynard who are getting married next month in Rhode Island. Julia reports, “There will be a big Wes crew at our wedding!”

Matthew Narkaus writes, “James He, Tommie Lark ’12, and I started a sustainable hemp clothing brand back at Wesleyan. Since graduation, we’ve made leaps and bounds in the hemp space and consider ourselves a frontrunner in hemp apparel today. Our vision has come to fruition in the past year with the passing of the Farm Bill, making it legal to grow hemp in all 50 states. In addition, we were able to secure a strategic investment from former NFL legend and cannabis activist Ricky Williams. Check out our website, superegoworld.com.”

Last but not least, make sure to check out Wesleyan Journey (wesleyan.edu/wesleyanjourney) for a great update on Jessica Chukwu.

As always, thanks for the updates. I always enjoy hearing from everyone. Keep them coming!

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu

Happy 2019 to the Class of 2012! Last year was an exciting one for many of our Hilltop friends.

Lizzie Simon is in her second year of study toward becoming a family nurse practitioner. She can usually be found playing Ultimate or doing acroyoga, thanks to Wesleyan. She is grateful to be enjoying Seattle with Jennelle Taylor ’15 and Bryce Fintel ’16.

Alyssa Lanz, in LA, a television literary agent at United Talent Agency where she has been since graduation, was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30.

Andrew Dominguez has been shuttling between LA and his hometown in the Philippines for the better part of two years. In LA, he is involved with the local alumni community and helps them support Wesleyan and NESCAC events in the city. In Manila, he organized a gathering for alumni of small liberal arts colleges; there were 20 attendees, half of whom hailed from Wesleyan, with a trio from Williams, and individuals from other peer schools. There is enthusiasm for similar events in the future. Andrew is aiming to build a network of support in LA for Raghu Appasani’s MINDS Foundation. Andrew is active in the alumni filmmaking community in LA, too.

Tess Minter graduated with her MBA from the University of San Francisco in May and started a job with Gartner as a management consultant in state and local government with a focus on homelessness response departments. Tess and her partner bought a condo in Oakland and are expecting to get engaged in the next few months.

Along to more wedding bell news: Hillary Biggs and Grant Covington were married in September, and their wedding had lots from the Wes crowd!

As for me, I am still at Bridgewater Associates and am planning my own wedding for May. Wishing the entire Class of 2012 continued success.

Daisey Perez | deperez@wesleyan.edu

Hi, Class of 2011. Always great to hear everyone’s updates!

Nick Luby, who double majored in music and philosophy, writes, “Over the last two years I founded and now codirect The Concert Truck, a mobile concert hall that delivers performances of classical music to diverse and unexpected locations. My partner and I have brought music to schools, parking lots, street corners, city squares, restaurants and bars, parks, zoos, homeless shelters, children’s homes, farmers markets, and scenic landscapes.

• Voice of America / NewsGram video 1
• Voice of America story and video 2

From Cheryl Tan, “Not broke, still in Singapore! Learning more about money, starting to work with an Australian agent, shortlisted for the Women of the Future Award (SEA). Won Best Libretto at a short musical festival in KL. The story was about sperms! Have visa in SG (whew). Web series, Derek, is out on Toggle.sg this Valentine’s Day and currently rehearsing a new play about humanitarian workers. It’s intense and really good. Also have regular singing students now and doing grant writing work. Thinking about getting more acting training, maybe in Europe.”

Bulaong Ramiz is a director of the multicultural resource center at Amherst College. She had her first baby this past August, Kimaya, who has already spent some time visiting mama’s alma mater.

Brendan “Shem” Sheehan was in Chicago for the annual Russian baths meetup where he tubbed, sauna’d, and kvassed it up with Charlie Lang, Matt Katz, and Justin Spring ’10.

Kim Prosise is living in Cambridge, Mass., near Davis Square. In 2018 she founded an entertainment company that provides circus and specialty performance art (@goldarrowllc), explored Costa Rica, Nebraska, and Bermuda, and made frequent trips to NYC to visit Gabriel Urbina ’13, Zach Valenti ’12, Ariella Axelbank ’14, and friends.

Timur Khanachet is a fellow at the American Film Institute and will be graduating in 2020.

Mat Larkin writes, “I majored in studio art, and I own a highest-end metal shop in Providence, R.I., called Nine and Two Thirds, specializing in fine art fabrication, architectural metalwork for homes, restaurants, and offices, and custom furniture. We were awarded the DESIGNXRI Design Catalyst Grant to purchase a large CNC milling machine, which is very exciting. We typically work with architects, interior designers, and our own design and engineering acumen to engineer and fabricate custom, large-scale pieces. We have two ongoing public art projects that will be seen on Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway this May, as well as myriad residential and commercial projects.”

McKinley Tennant is living in Bali and working and teaching yoga at a women’s retreat called Goddess Retreats in Semiyak. She is very happy to call this place home. She writes, “My partner opened up a matcha cafe and we have a Bali dog, Maya, who is the sweetest.”

Thanks to all those who contributed! Look forward to hearing continued contributions from our class in the next cycle.

Allie Southam | asoutham@wesleyan.edu