Class Notes
1936 Gilbert Forbes (see ’62). . . . Grace Moehlman Forbes (see ’62).
1950 The daughter of Charles Wadhams Jr. writes that her father died in May. “While at U of R,” Jean Geller writes, “he was a proud member of Psi Upsilon, and his stories of his University antics are the stuff of legend among the grandkids. He lived a long life and was loved by countless friends and family, but he is deeply missed.”
1952 Joan Klein Brauer died in August 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, at age 90, her son, David, reports. “My mom was a proud U of R alum, and I know she’d want the school to know of her passing,” he writes. “The U of R was a big part of her life, and we appreciate all of you.” Joan’s sister, Roberta Klein Courtman ’50, died in 2017. . . . Arnold Brenman passed away in April, writes his son Paul Brenman ’83. After attending the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Arnold served as a physician in the US Army, stationed in Puerto Rico from 1956 to 1958. He practiced otolaryngology and microsurgery of the ear in Philadelphia for almost 40 years and made contributions to the field of medical photography. . . . Chesley Kahmann writes, “Here comes another recording . . . my 16th—with still more to come.” Love of Life (Orbiting Clef Productions) is the 13th volume in the Kahmann Touch series by composer and pianist Chesley with her long-time singing group, the Interludes.
1953 Allen Brown has published Constitution II: A New Beginning (Xlibris US), in which he posits the need for a new US Constitution. A retired Air Force avionics engineer, Allen is the author of six books, including, most recently, The Elevator.
1958 Joyce Timmerman Gilbert, Nancy Kelts Rice, Joan Rosenthal Nusbaum, Susan Storing Maybeck, and Linda Russell Messina (from left to right in the group photo), who met at the University in 1954 and have reestablished their longtime friendships by connecting at their class reunions, send an update: During their 50th reunion, they enjoyed learning about what each of them had accomplished and found challenging in their lives. After their 60th reunion, they decided 10 years between visits was simply too long. They all live in the Rochester area and have made a point to keep their renewed friendships strong. In an effort to see one another more, they have created a “monthly lunch bunch” and select different Rochester restaurants to visit. They share stories of marriage, careers, motherhood, and loss. Living in the 2020s, they write, provokes fascinating thoughts. Susan writes, “Living on the Prince Street Campus for the first year brought us together as women.” They were among the first group of women to move onto the newly expanded River Campus in September 1955. Susan remembers meeting her husband, the late Edward Maybeck, a mechanical engineering student, on the first day in the new dorm. Nancy, who majored in history, writes, “My experience at UR helped me in my later life in so many ways, including comfort in all kinds of situations with other people, exposure to the wider world, and opportunities for developing leadership skills. And, of course, history gave me such a lovely background for understanding world developments.” Susan shares advice for current students: “Don’t be too focused on your career. Expand your experiences, dabble in something unfamiliar, meet new people, and take your time.” Nancy adds: “Take advantage of every opportunity you can for learning, experiencing, and developing your writing and analysis skills.” The picture is from their last lunch get-together before the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on their lunch dates. For the past few months, they have kept in touch through modern technology by sharing and commenting on “clever/humorous/thoughtful” emails as well as through Zoom.
1960 Thomas Grubb sends an update: “This past January I turned 80 but don’t feel at all different, probably because I am fortunate to be in relatively good health (knock on wood). In May 2014, I resigned from the faculty of the Juilliard School after 50 years of classroom teaching at the university level. Since then . . . my hands [were] full caring for my dear dog, Roo, who died at the age of 15. I miss her terribly, but luckily, I am surrounded by good friends who do their best to cheer me up. Since leaving Juilliard, I have had the chance to practice at the piano in order to prepare for several performances I have given with various singers under the aegis of the Art Song Society of New York. Since March of 2017, I have been working with my personal trainer twice a week in my apartment with amazing results. Although I have difficulty walking without the aid of a cane (or two), I am much stronger than ever before and plan to continue this regimen as long as possible. Until the onslaught of the coronavirus, I was coaching here in my studio on the Upper West Side, but since March this activity has been denied me. Not only a source of supplemental income, coaching singers is something that I love to do, one on one, instead of classroom teaching, which was never much fun for me because it was more disciplinary than educational (yes, even at Juilliard!). Just a note to others like me: there IS life after retirement, if one chooses to live it.”
1961 Russ Hatch, owner of MCSI Water Systems Management in Carmel Valley, California, writes that his company is celebrating its 30th year of providing operations and consulting for community and agriculture-based water systems in the Monterey Bay region. He writes, “Water is a critical resource, and my passion to provide quality licensed water management is what keeps me going at 80+ every day.”
1962 Joseph Citro ’73W (EdD) died in July, writes his wife, Constance Forbes Citro ’63, a senior scholar with the Committee on National Statistics at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Joseph had a “distinguished career as a professor of American history at Prince George’s Community College in Largo, Maryland,” writes Constance. “Many members of my family are U of R grads, including our son, Jeremy Citro ’93, and my parents, Gilbert ’36, ’40M (MD) and Grace Moehlman Forbes ’36. . . . She sends a photograph: “Here is a fun photo of our crazy classmates at our 50th wedding anniversary party in March 2013. We were doing our class cheer and having a great time. Bob was the entrepreneurial Pizza Truck guy on campus—a much sought-after repast on the weekends. Happy memories! He will be greatly missed, as will Tony Cohen.” Pictured are Bob and Bonnie Hetrick, Bill and Patty Keenan Knapp, Carol and George Lattimer, and Tony. . . . Robert Mead sends an update: “I have recently accepted a full-time position as a research engineer at the Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. I’ll be engaged in research on the use of unmanned aircraft systems in emergency response and disaster situations. I recently concluded my six-year engagement with the FAA–designated UAS test site at the Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.” . . . Jerome Mark Spector (see pages 58–59). . . . Patricia Wager Wheeler ’65W (EdM) in November published Therapy Dogs in Action: Their Stories of Service and Love (Russian Hill Press), “as told to Patricia by her dogs, Lawrence, Albert, Maddie, and Wylie.” A therapy dog handler since 2002, she is also the author of Successful Tails: The Wonders of Therapy Dogs (AuthorHouse).
1963 Paula Rabinowitz writes: “David Joseph Bernstein, my comrade and lover of more than 42 years, died of the horrible disease caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, at Mt. Sinai Queens Hospital. He went into the hospital on Easter Sunday and survived through April, the cruelest month. He died at 3:47 am on May Day 2020, fitting for a red-diaper baby and lifetime radical and number theorist (two primes and a square), The Hour of the Wolf. He loved me, Jacob and Raphael more than anything. A solitary man who biked, kayaked, fished, did crossword puzzles and math problems, he deeply believed in collectives, both political and artistic. A teacher, actor, director, producer, activist, he founded and built a number of theaters in Michigan—the Attic Theater in Detroit, The Performance Network of Ann Arbor, among them—and, as an early member of SDS was arrested and jailed for participating in the first draft board sit-in in 1965 in protest of the Vietnam War. He continued his activism in support of workers, especially at the University of Minnesota, and for the joy of solidarity with others, most recently as a volunteer with the Long Island City Boathouse. A homebody, he had the misfortune to marry a wandering woman, with whom, during just the past year, he traveled to Portugal, Spain, Hawaii, and Cuba. I never agreed with Joe Hill’s slogan: ‘Don’t mourn, organize!’ I say mourn David, and then organize. After 42 years of love and struggle together, I am at a loss. He endures in the love he felt for our sons, his family and his friends.” Paula Rabinowitz is the editor-in-chief of the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature and a professor of English emerita at the University of Minnesota. (See pages 58–59). . . . Constance Forbes Citro (see ’62).
1965 Sharon Cornell Rose shares the news that her third grandchild will attend Rochester: Jessica Rose ’16, current student Zachary Rose ’23, and Jacob Rose ’24, accepted last spring.
1966 Jeffrey Raffel has published his memoirs, Lessons Learned: A Memoir of Leadership Development (NASPAA Press). Jeffrey, who went on to earn a PhD in political science at MIT, analyzes his experience in academia, government, and nonprofit organizations, including as codirector of Joe Biden’s polling in his first senate race, special assistant to Delaware’s Governor Pete du Pont, president of NASPAA (the international organization of academic leaders in public policy and administration), and the founding director of what is now the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration at the University of Delaware. The memoir includes what Jeffrey learned about leadership in his time at Rochester, including how to overcome the academic-practitioner gap in teaching, research, and public service. . . . Michael Weiss (see ’67).
1967 Robert Lewy sends a photograph. Pictured (left to right) are David Green ’71M (MD), James Croll, Michael Weiss ’66, Robert, and Paul Stein. Robert writes, “Five Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity brothers from the classes of ’66 and ’67 got together in Naples, Florida, in February 2020. David, Paul, and I were Towers suitemates in 1966–67. We all went on to medical school and successful medical careers. We owe our reunion to the efforts of our classmate Alan Carmasin, who passed away in 2018.”
1968 David Freese has released his third book of photographs, Mississippi River: Headwaters and Heartland to Delta and Gulf (George F. Thompson), published in July. The text is written by the New York Times–bestselling author Simon Winchester, and the foreword is by Sarah Kennel, the curator of photography at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. “This book completes a trilogy on North American waters in a time of increasing climate change and presents the Mississippi River as a microcosm of American history with all its admirable qualities and persistent faults,” writes David.
1969 Daan Braveman has joined Harter Secrest & Emery, a law firm with offices throughout New York State, as senior higher education counsel. He will lead the new consulting services of the firm’s higher education practice. Daan spent 43 years in higher education as a professor and leader, including the last 15 years as president of Nazareth College in Rochester. Before joining Nazareth, Daan spent 28 years at Syracuse University College of Law, including eight years as dean; he also served as an associate professor, professor, and associate dean. He earned his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. . . . Alan Finder (see pages 58–59). . . . Gary Kinsland ’74 (PhD) sends an update: he has been a professor in the School of Geosciences at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette since 1977 and writes he has “no reason to quit . . . having too much fun.”
1970 James Ellis updated a university-level textbook, Remote Sensing Principles, Interpretation, and Application (Waveland Press), with author Floyd Sabins Jr. The fourth edition explores the growing use of technologies such as drones and Lidar as well as the scientific and societal impacts of remote sensing. James is the founder and principal of Ellis GeoSpatial. . . . Robin Lynn writes, “I cocurated the exhibition Ridgewood Reservoir for the 21st Century, which should have opened at the Queens Museum on April 5. Matt Malina, director of NYC H2O, and I tell the story of the evolution of the city of Brooklyn’s water supply system—leading to the consolidation of Greater New York—through maps, drawings, and photographs. You can still enjoy the show online at www.nych2o.org/, where you can immerse yourself in 19th-century technology and see how infrastructure and open space can be been repositioned in the 21st century. Enjoy, be well, and drink water.” . . . . Ralph Rakieten Singh writes, “As my 50th reunion approaches, I thought I’d share that my Wisdom Thinkers Network has been adopted and funded by Fetzer.org. My multicultural wisdom stories, ‘Stories to Light Our Way,’ bring a unique approach to spirituality and values into education. Combining SEL/Character Ed with ethical discussions, we help children find their stories and then go out [to] change the story of the world. I can no longer march, but my op-ed appeared online [at Syracuse.com] and in [the] Sunday paper (we actually still have one). Of special note is my memory of the white marble Frederick Douglass bust in the lobby in 1968—being a symbol of the University’s insensitivity to race—which was replaced by a black marble image shortly thereafter to show their compassion!” . . . Tom Williams sends an update: “I was a professional journalist—an enemy of the people. I worked for a couple of small community newspapers in and around Utica, New York, from 1972 to 1976, then moved back to Rochester in 1976 to work as a reporter and editor for City Newspaper, Rochester’s alternative weekly. In 1979, I went to the Rochester Times-Union and was a reporter on the police, suburban, and 1984 Rochester sesquicentennial beats. From 1984 to 1988, I was a reporter (and a following spouse) at the Knoxville (Tennessee) Journal. After, my wife and I moved to the Albany, New York, area for her internship. I worked for many years as an editor of several national trade magazines published by a company based in Latham, New York. I am now retired and living in Malta, New York, near Saratoga Springs. My wife, Carol Atwater ’82, is a clinical psychologist and also a UR alum (we didn’t cross paths at the UR; we met later). I am now a member of the Malta Democratic Committee, seeking to restore sanity to the United States government. Hi, everybody!”
1972 Burns Fisher ’79 (MS) writes, “Does anyone remember ‘Howie Specials’ from the cafeteria at the WRH? Does anyone actually know who ‘Howie’ is? My wife and I still make them!” He recommends, however, that “those of us of ‘a certain age’” use English muffins rather than bagels, making them easier to eat and with fewer calories. Burns adds, “I am retired after spending most of my career working for DEC/Compaq/HP. I actually spent seven years as an employee at UR and then a couple years after my retirement as a start-up. I still write software to fly in space on amateur radio satellites as a volunteer for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).” . . . John Newton has published The Addison Collection (Resource Publications), a compilation of stories and other short works. He is a retired patent specialist at Eastman Kodak Research Labs.
1973 David Greenbaum, the vice chairman of Vornado Realty Trust, received the Harry B. Helmsley Distinguished New Yorker Award in recognition of outstanding professional achievements and leadership. The award is presented by the Real Estate Board of New York. Among other projects, David and Vornado are working with the Economic Development Corporation and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to create a new entrance to Penn Station and revamping the Long Island Railroad concourse. . . . Len Joy ’74S (MBA) writes that he has published a new novel, Everyone Dies Famous (BQB Publishing). He and his wife, Suzanne Sawada, attended the November 2019 Readers’ Favorite Award Banquet, where Len’s novels American Past Time (Hark! New Era Publishing) and Better Days (self-published) won the gold and silver medals in the category of Fiction—Sports. “It was a great opportunity to meet other writers who are working, as I am, to establish themselves,” he writes. He also notes that during Meliora Weekend in October 2019, Suzanne received the John N. Wilder Award for her philanthropic support and her many years of service to the University. “She was honored to be recognized by her alma mater,” he writes.
1975 James Bennett has published Leave No One Behind: Guidelines for Project Planners and Practitioners (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit). The concept of “leave no one behind” is a guiding principle of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. . . . Catherine Coates writes to say that she retired from Xerox in January after 19 years. . . . Bill and Iris Lipman Iler send a photograph of their young grandchild. Iris writes, “Henry Pfeffer, age two, sports his new Yellowjackets T-shirt.” Henry is the son of Sarah Iler ’04, Bill and Iris’s daughter, and Todd Pfeffer. . . . Mark Moretti writes that he received multiple honors in 2019: he was presented with the Distinguished Service Award from the Trial Section of the New York State Bar Association and the Adolf Rodenbach Award from the Monroe County Bar Association, was selected Lawyer of the Year for 2020 by Best Lawyers of America for real estate litigation in Rochester, and was elected a vice president of the New York State Bar Association for 2020. . . . Mathew Tekulsky’s forthcoming book Americana: A Photographic Journey (Goff Books), featuring commentary on and photographs of things representative or stereotypical of America “from sea to shining sea,” is scheduled to be released in spring 2021. Matthew has previously published several books, including The Martin Luther King Mitzvah (Fitzroy Books) and Backyard Bird Photography (Skyhorse), among others. . . . Robert Vigoda sends an update: He is a partner at Rubin & Rudman in Boston, where he focuses his practice on high-net-worth families in areas such as estate and trust planning, administration, and business succession for family-owned businesses. He has been recognized as a top attorney in his field by such publications as Worth magazine (Top 100 Attorneys in the country), Chambers High Net Worth guide, Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers (Boston and New England). Rob is also cofounder of a health care venture capital firm, Catalyst Health Ventures, investing early stage through exit in transformative medical technology companies. CHV was named Healthcare Fund of the Year 2018 by the New England Venture Capital Association. Rob and his wife, Donna, live in Lexington, Massachusetts, and enjoy spending time with their children and five grandchildren, golf, and traveling.
1976 David Brown has been appointed as interim chair of the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a professor of pharmacology and has been on the department faculty for 36 years. . . . In recognition of her role as an educator, Theresa Canada ’89W (EdD), a professor of education at Western Connecticut State University, has been selected as one of the 100 Women of Color in Connecticut for 2020. She was honored at the fifth annual 100 Women of Color gala and awards banquet in August in Hartford. The awards recognize contributions to business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, and service that have an impact on people throughout Connecticut and western Massachusetts. . . . Richard Cogen (see ’77 College). . . . Andrew Rackear writes, “A bunch of us from the Class of 1976 had planned to get together in Santa Fe for a gathering of old college friends. The coronavirus may have prevented our gathering, but a pandemic couldn’t keep us apart. We had a great time catching up on Zoom. It certainly didn’t seem like it had been 46 years since we were hanging out together on the quad!”
1977 Peter Friedenberg, a partner in Boston-based Sherin and Lodgen’s real estate law department, was named to The Best Lawyers in America 2021 list. He’s a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. . . . Rose Lewis sends a photo from “a mini reunion for ’77 suitemates in the Berkshires in February—a fabulous time was had by all! Note the young man in the photo—Richard Cogen ’76.” In the first row are Barbara Grossman Berger, Kathy Cusack Cogen, Linda Duffus Flanagan, and Rose. . . . Richard Rubin writes, “Like many others, I am sure, the pandemic has brought old friends and classmates together again in many different ways. Although not flattering to some, here is a screenshot from a Zoom call with ‘our gang’ from the mid to late ’70s. Revitalizing old friendships is a bright spot in an otherwise horrible situation.” Pictured (left to right) are (top row) Barbara Shore Richman ’78, Richard, and Maureen Hart Hennessey ’78; (middle row) Joel Lind, Dan Kimmel, Christine Gray; and (bottom row) Ira Emanuel, and Cindy Rizzo.
1978 Barry Bergen writes that he and his husband and partner of 22-plus years, Jim Schank, both retired since 2017, have moved to Lisbon, Portugal. Barry retired from Gallaudet University, where he was a professor of history. . . . Michael Corp has been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America for 2021. Michael is a partner in the tax, trusts and estates, and elder law and special needs practices at Hancock Estabrook in upstate New York. . . . Maureen Hart Hennessey (see ’77). . . . Barbara Shore Richman (see ’77). . . . Joseph Sellers, the Eastern Region medical director for the Bassett Healthcare network, is the new president-elect of the Medical Society of the State of New York. He’s a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Physicians. An attending physician in internal medicine and pediatrics at the Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, New York, and the Cobleskill (New York) Regional Hospital, he is an assistant professor of clinical medicine at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
1979 Jean Merenda Conway (see ’80 Nursing). . . . Steven Goldberg, a partner at Downey Brand, a law firm with offices in California and Nevada, was selected as a 2020 Northern California Super Lawyer and to Best Lawyers in America 2021 for his work in environmental litigation.
1980 Penny Cagan publishes a daily blog about the Talmud in the Times of Israel. She has lived in New York City, where she works as a risk manager, since 1980. She has published two books of poetry, And Today I Am Happy (Chatoyant) and City Poems (Chatoyant). . . . Howard Rudzinsky sends a note and a photo (page 60) taken in Vail, Colorado, in February. Pictured (left to right) are Stephen Jensen, Harold Goldstein, Glen Mattioli, and Howard. He writes, “Still crazy, skiing together after all these years. We are all in touch and close to Arthur Brown, Bruce Forman, Chuck Weinstein, Rich Hodin, our Gilbert basement gang, as well as Dan Hertzel and Joe Sherman who did two years at Rochester with us. We’re coming to our 40th; how about you?”. . . Janice Wiesman (see pages 58–59).
1981 Tracy Mitrano writes: “When I graduated as president of the Students’ Association, I bet many of you thought I might go into politics. You were right! It only took me almost 40 more years to get there, after a doctorate and law degree, a career in higher education, and, who knew: a specialty in internet and cybersecurity policy.” In the November 2020 elections, Tracy ran for Congress in NY-23, south of Rochester, a district that runs west of Binghamton along the Pennsylvania border to Lake Erie. “After growing up in Rochester and going to the UR, I have lived my entire adult life in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes region, most of it while working at Cornell University and raising a family in Ithaca. I live in Penn Yan now, on Keuka Lake. I left work (that paid more than Congress!) to jump into the 2018 race for the same reasons that many women got involved—a dedication to citizenship and democracy—but also because of a concern that our government was not paying sufficient attention to the Russian interference in cyberspace. Predicting that it would take two times to unseat the incumbent, I am keeping my promise to run twice.” . . . Robert Waine has joined the Pittsburgh-based law firm Rothman Gordon. Robert specializes in commercial transactions, corporate formation, real estate, employment issues, and litigation. He also provides expertise in the oil and gas industry related to ownership and leasing of natural gas interests.
1982 Carol Atwater (see ’70). . . . Mike Kaestle (see ’83).
1983 Paul Brenman (see ’52). . . . Beth Solomon German (see ’90). . . . Dave Lewy writes that Rochester alumni who were also members of the Omega fraternity got together on Zoom last spring for a mini reunion—“some of us not seeing each other for 40 years.” In the photo are (top row) Robert Segura, Dave, Mathew Rice ’84, and Cyndy Brown ’84; (middle row) Mimi Richart, Corbett Johnson, Elliot Garbus ’84, and Andy Middleton; (bottom row) Michael Urban, Mike Kaestle ’82, Marc Pekowsky ’86, and Leslie Zigel ’85; and in the bottom square is Aroon Chinai ’85.
1984 Cynthia Brown (see ’84 Nursing). . . . Tracy Haswell has been named dean of academics at the Purnell School in Pottersville, New Jersey. The school is a college preparatory boarding and day school for girls in grades 9 through 12 who have learning or language challenges.
1985 Aroon Chinai (see ’83). . . . Leslie Zigel (see ’83).
1986 Randall Abate, a professor and endowed chair in marine and environmental law and policy at Monmouth University, adds 12 new chapters to the second edition of What Can Animal Law Learn from Environmental Law? (Environmental Law Institute Press), published in July. . . . Marc Pekowsky (see ’83). . . . Glenn Stambo, a vascular and interventional radiologist in Tampa, Florida, writes, “I hope you are staying safe and well, and I know these are difficult times, but I wanted to share some good news that an article I have been working on getting published for five years was finally published.” “The Use of Rapid Sequence Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain as a Screening Tool for the Detection of Gross Intracranial Pathology in Children Presenting to the Emergency Department With a Chief Complaint of Persistent or Recurrent Headaches” was published in the journal Pediatric Emergency Care in April.
1987 David Morris ’91M (MD) has been appointed chief medical officer for Enterprise Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company based in the UK. David also has held faculty appointments at the University of California, San Francisco, and Yale University’s School of Medicine. . . . Jeffrey Tyburski ’98S (MBA) writes, “I recently started a financial literacy educational service called Your Sherpa. I focus on students and young adults, engaging their parents in the process.” He also released a companion book primarily geared toward parents, Your Sherpa: Your Parental Guide to Financial Literacy (Authors Place Press). He adds that the analyst in him identified the problems solved in the book; the engineer created the framework; and the teacher, mentor, and parent deliver the message. Jeff worked as an engineer, analyst, and portfolio manager for a combined 33 years. He is the president of a nonprofit organization helping aspiring entrepreneurs in Africa. . . . Thomas Uzzo, president and CEO of Whitestone Associates, has been named a 2020 award finalist for New Jersey in Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year program. Whitestone Associates provides environmental and geotechnical engineering and consulting services.
1988 Amy Steinman Cohen writes, “My daughter, Jessica Brynn Cohen, is a young actress and just finished filming her first feature film in Austin, Texas. The Richard Linklater film Apollo 10 1/2 that Jessica was a lead actress in will be out on Netflix in 2021.”
1990 Jodi Rubtchinsky Smith, president and owner of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting in Marblehead, Massachusetts, sends a photo from “an impromptu reunion.” She writes, “December brought an added surprise at a community holiday party when we realized our table was a random Rochester Reunion!” Pictured (left to right) are Douglas Smith, Beth Solomon German ’83, Jodi, and Christopher Bruell ’96. . . . John Sotomayor sends an update: “I launched my second magazine brand under Sotomayor Media Creations, Embrace, to rave reviews. My first brand, Elevate, established in 2017, has won its third national award as Best Digital Magazine two years in a row.” Elevar, the Spanish-language version of Elevate, won one of those awards.
1991 Luke Bellocchi writes that he has returned to Washington, DC, after living in Hawaii for three years and has taken a policy position at the US Department of Transportation as strategic advisor for aviation policy to the secretary’s office. . . . Jazz trumpeter and composer John Sneider released The Scrapper (Cellar Live Records), featuring Joel Frahm, tenor saxophone; Larry Goldings, organ; John Hart, guitar; and Andy Watson, drums. The CD also features singer Andy Bey and trumpeter David Sneider, the son of John and Robin Kornblith Sneider ’91E.
1992 Lesli Myers-Small ’93W (MS) was named superintendent of the Rochester City School District in May. She began her career in the district as a guidance counselor and intervention specialist. She led Brockport, New York, public schools for seven years before leaving in 2020 to become the New York State Education Department’s assistant commissioner of school reform and innovation. Before her tenure in Brockport, Lesli spent five years as an assistant superintendent in Ithaca, New York. . . . Valery Perry sends news about a documentary film she directed and produced, Looking for Dayton, which premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival in August 2020. The feature-length film looks at the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the war in Bosnia in 1995, with a focus on the people affected by the agreement, not the politicians who negotiated it. With the 25-year anniversary of the end of the war in November 2020, she says the film provides a different look at the war and its end, blending comedy with reality and suggesting the lessons that can be learned from the war and from the peace. Valery lives in Sarajevo.
1993 Jeremy Citro (see ’62) . . . . Alexis Hart, an associate professor and the director of writing in the English department at Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, has published Writing Programs, Veterans Studies, and the Post–9/11 University: A Field Guide (National Council of Teachers of English) with coauthor Roger Thompson of Stony Brook University. Alexis is a US Navy veteran and a former associate professor of English at the Virginia Military Institute. . . . Anita Hattiangadi is a research program director at the Center for Naval Analyses in Arlington, Virginia, where she oversees a portfolio of about 20 studies for Department of Defense, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps sponsors. . . . Ross Warner writes that his first book, Drunk on Sunday (No Frills Buffalo), was released in June. He adds that “it takes place partially at the U of R” and that both his late parents belonged to the Class of ’64 and would have “loved to know it made the magazine.”
1994 Grace Bacon Garcia has been elected vice president of the Massachusetts Bar Association for its 2020–21 membership year. She is a partner at Morrison Mahoney in Boston, where she has more than 20 years of trial experience, and a board member and past president of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association. Also in 2020, Grace was inducted into Massachusetts Lawyer Weekly’s Top Women of Law Circle of Excellence and was elected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America.
1995 Andrew Adachi ’04S (MBA) graduated from New York Law School in May and was preparing to take the New York State bar exam in September. . . . Jerrid Chapman sends a photograph from his December 2019 wedding to Ellen Colebank. . . . Ann Marie Mason was promoted to general counsel and corporate secretary at the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company in Philadelphia. Active with the Corporate Counsel Women of Color, Anne Marie is a member of the board of directors of Listen to Our Voices, a nonprofit organization advocating for children and young adults.
1996 Joseph Brown has joined the Buffalo-based law firm Hurwitz & Fine as a member of its employment and business litigation departments. He received his JD from the University of Virginia School of Law. . . . Christopher Bruell (see ’90).
1997 Ghassan (San) Haddad has written The File: Origins of the Munich Massacre (Post Hill Press), which draws on previously unavailable archives to shed light on the terrorist attacks at the 1972 Summer Olympics. San writes, “I hope that it can positively influence the public debate about the Israel-Palestine Olympic file. I worked closely with Israeli, Palestinian, and Olympic stakeholders, and it is the most significant work in this area since Simon Reeve’s One Day in September.” San is a visiting instructor of business management at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. . . . Maureen Roche (see ’99).
1998 Rebecca Grant Lederman, pictured on the right with her business partner, Sari Lee, started Pickleball Palace in October 2018 to bring pickleball to people ages 8 to 80. In August, they opened their own dedicated outdoor pickleball courts in West Orange, New Jersey. Rebecca, who played on the varsity tennis team all four years at Rochester, writes, “I feel so lucky that I have turned a passion into a business. Pickleball is fun, social, and great exercise. If any alumni live nearby, come out and play!” . . . Stacey Trien is serving as president-elect of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys and will assume duties as president in May of 2021. She writes that she is excited to take on the leadership role in the Rochester legal community. She is a partner at Adams Leclair, specializing in employment law and commercial litigation throughout New York State.
1999 Joshua Boxer, a health care regulatory attorney, was named chief compliance and privacy officer at Integra Connect, a health care technology start-up. . . . Nancy D’Angelo Kusmaul, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, writes that she was selected for the 2019–20 Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program, during which she worked with Congress and with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on issues related to quality of life and quality of care for older adults. . . . Jean Marie Sullivan celebrated taking command of the USS Whidbey Island with her fellow alumni (left to right left) Maureen Roche ’97, Julie Peck Swanson ’00W (MS), Jean Marie’s brother, Roger Sullivan, Jean Marie, and Chris Swanson ’00 (MS). Jean Marie notes that Roger (then an ensign in the Navy) commissioned her in the Welles-Brown Reading Room in January 2000.
2000 Maria Talavera Barber sends a family photo and an update: “I’m a neonatologist and recently moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.” Maria has been “married for six years to a wonderful man, Andrew Barber, from Nelsonville, Ohio.” They have two children: a four-year-old daughter and a six-month-old son. . . . Katherine McClung has been selected by the National Law Journal as a 2020 Employment Law Trailblazer. Katherine is an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck & King at the Rochester office of the Syracuse-based firm.
2002 Jennifer Keating, a senior lecturer and writing-in-the-disciplines specialist at the University of Pittsburgh, is a coauthor of AI and Humanity (MIT Press) with her colleague Illah Reza Nourbakhsh. The book uses the tools of literary explication to examine the societal impact of AI systems while exploring the historical development of AI technologies beginning with the “apparently benign” Roomba vacuum cleaner. . . . Yusuke Shimizu writes, “I had the honor of being the interpreter for Pope Francisco in his meetings with the Japanese Emperor and Prime Minister Abe in November 2019. It was the first papal visit in 38 years.” Yusuke is the principal deputy director of the South America division for Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. . . . LaFleur Stephens-Dougan, an assistant professor in the Department of Politics at Princeton University, has published Race to the Bottom: How Racial Appeals Work in American Politics (University of Chicago Press).
2003 Thomas Marples Czarples (see ’05). . . . Magdalena Nogal Silva writes that in October she celebrated the fifth anniversary of the opening of her Austin, Texas–based luxury fashion consignment business, Fashion Reloved.
2004 Corinne Samler Brennan, a partner at the law firm Klehr Harrison Harvey Branzburg in Philadelphia, was selected for the Legal Intelligencer’s Lawyers on the Fast Track list as part of its 2020 Professional Excellence Awards. . . . Michael Dunham, an assistant professor of physics at the State University of New York at Fredonia, received the 2020 William T. and Charlotte N. Hagan Young Scholar/Artist Award. The annual award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding recent achievements in research or creativity. . . . Sarah Iler (see ’75). . . . Jenni Smith sends an update: she and her husband, Jonathan Derby, welcomed a second daughter, Tallulah May Derby, last August. Tallulah joins four-year-old Clementine. Also in 2019, Jenni became a partner at the Boston law firm, Sandulli Grace, which she joined in 2012. She practices primarily public sector labor law.
2005 Keil Anderson (see ’06). . . . Alexander Brody (see ’06). . . . Anna Czapla Czarples and Thomas Marples Czarples ’03 welcomed their first child, Ondrej Glennon Czarples, in August 2019. . . . Bradley Henson (see ’06). . . . Francis Liu (see ’06). . . . Michael Mastromonaco (see ’06). . . . Bijan Pajoohi (see ’06).
2006 Alec Immerman writes that he and fellow University and Alpha Delta Phi alumni “through the magic of Zoom video conferencing, had a three-hour forum chock full of some pretty groundbreaking material to discuss how to achieve world peace.” Joining Alec on the conference were Francis Liu ’05, Bradley Henson ’05, Michael Mastromonaco ’05, Marc Perez, Alexander Brody ’05, Bijan Pajoohi ’05, and Keil Anderson ’05. . . . Rebecca Kowaloff writes, “In October 2019 my husband, John, and I welcomed our first child, Wesley. We’ve been enjoying parenthood ever since!”
2007 Bryan Bernstein writes that he published his first book, Computer News 2018–19: micro LED TV, 5 nano meter chips (Self-published), in January 2020.
2008 Ben Aronson ’15E (DMA) (see ’86 Eastman).
2009 Erica Gelb ’10 (MS) sends a photograph from her June 2019 wedding to Dan Edlow in Maryland, “with so many of my Rochester friends in attendance,” she writes. Pictured are (back row) Greg Rose, Will Archambault ’10 (MS), Megan Jenkins, Sean Tanny; (middle row) Maeghan Kirsch Archambault ’10W (MS), Kari Plewniak ’08, Rana Pedram Kinnaman ’08, Robin Levy Gray ’08, Laura Giusto ’07, Michelle Levine, Tara Gelb ’10, Rex Gelb ’12, Dan, Shoshana Abramowitz Bereskin ’11W (MS), Erica, Katie Moll Reitz ’15M (MD), Abby Woodward Yochim, Maureen Dooley Gardner ’08, Jayne Van Schaick ’08, Bridget Hoffman ’08, Mimi Hong ’08; (front row) Natalie Mroczka Leroux, Kristen Fitzgerald Tanny ’10W (MS), and Rachel Cahan ’08.
2010 David Maystrovsky (see ’12). . . . Rosemary Shojaie has published her first picture book, Tout Seul? (Didier Jeunesse). An English edition has also been published by Starfish Bay Publishing under the title The Snow Fox. Rosemary writes, “It’s really thanks to the Take 5 program that I was able to shift gears and pursue art!” She has an MA in children’s book illustration from the Cambridge (UK) School of Art. . . . Alaina Tosatti and John (JK) Vaughn were married in October. There was, she writes, “a large contingent of Rochester alumni at our wedding!” Pictured (page 66) with Alaina and JK are Madeline Korber ’12, Melissa Alwardt Othmer ’11, Amy Woods ’13, ’19M (MPH), Kate Agan ’12, Lauren Latona ’11, Michelle Ketcham Wallace ’12, Jodie Luther Reid ’12, Alicia Testani ’11, Caroline Bernal-Silva ’11, Jessica Mastronardi Dowgin ’10, Heather Uvanni ’10, Gretchen Bauer Giraldo ’10, and Kristyn Wright ’13. Alumni who attended but are not in the photo include Katherine Kolben Lerro ’09, Daniel Shapiro ’13, Robert Reid ’13, Phyllis Pallett-Hehn ’86N (PhD), and Bill Brownstein ’74.
2011 Keegan Edwards has published A Store Near Me: The Online Presence That Outranks, Outshines and Outlasts the Competition (BookBaby). Drawing on his experience helping more than 1,500 independent retail stores over the last 10 years, Keegan provides retailers with strategies for creating an online presence. . . . David Gould has been named the chief diversity and impact officer for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, a conglomerate that owns the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA and the New Jersey Devils of the NHL as well as the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the home facility for the Devils and for Seton Hall University’s basketball program. A former member of the Yellowjacket basketball team, David has also held community engagement and communications roles for civic and nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia. . . . Jerome Nathaniel and Kelsey Bailey were married in Brooklyn in last January. Jerome writes that the wedding theme was “Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way.” Pictured with Jerome are his former UR Hip Hop cohort: Angad Singh ’09, Dave Liebers ’09, David Kotler, Derek Acheampong ’12, Zibran Ahmed ’12, Grace Hong ’10, Hannah Donner ’10, Aric Hernandez ’12, Daniel Estrada, Sanket Hendre, Philippe St. Juste ’14, Alykhan Alani ’12, and Justin Lyttleton ’13. Sanket was Jerome’s best man, and Philippe, Alykhan, and Justin were groomsmen. . . . Emily Tsai (see ’11 Eastman).
2012 Susana Gutierrez-Luke has completed the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree at the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine last May and is completing an emergency medicine residency at Strong Memorial Hospital. . . . Caitlin Olfano and David Maystrovsky ’10 were married in October 2019 in Rochester—“nine years after meeting at U of R through the Campus Times!” she writes. In attendance were (left to right) Lindsey Novick ’14N, Kimberly Olfano ’18N, David Trotto ’13S (MBA), Chelsea Flint ’12, Caitlin, David, Lian Law ’12, and Kate Groenevelt ’12. . . . Alex Parker, the director of marketing for the Miami Dolphins, Miami Open, and Hard Rock Stadium, was named as one of the inaugural members of “New Voices Under 30,” selected by Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal. . . . Emily Watson and Jonathan McLinn ’15 (MS) were married in New York City in October 2019. Emily writes that they were thrilled to be joined at their wedding by fellow alumni. Pictured (front row) Elaine Hernandez, Emily Nash, Emily, and Jonathan; and (back row from left) Collin Rodgers ’17, Alvin Aviles, and Michael Beckley ’14 (MS).
2013 Chandra Ade-Browne (see ’18 Graduate). . . . Alexander Sundermann writes, “I want to share that I was selected in Pittsburgh’s 30 Under 30 2020 class!” He is a clinical research coordinator and doctoral student in epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Graduate School of Public Health, where he earned his master of public health degree.
2014 Joe Ricci writes that he and his band have released their debut album, An & En (Soulpod Collective). Joe lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, where, he writes, “the album was produced in a defunct crematorium, possibly informing the recordings with the stories of those that have passed through it.”
2015 Anansa Benbow has launched The Black Language Podcast, “dedicated to talking about Black people and our languages, and the beauty, rawness, and complicatedness of our various realities.” Anansa earned a master’s degree in applied linguistics from Columbia University’s Teachers College in 2019. While at Columbia, she pursued her interests in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, phonetics and phonology, and psycholinguistics and was a TedXColumbiaUniversity speaker on the subject of Black English and its invalidation in educational settings. She’s a college and career advisor for high school youth in New York City. . . . Maria (Isabella) Cazacu writes, “I got married to Jacob Bohannon in August 2019 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A bunch of our friends and classmates from UR made the trip down to make our day ever better!”
2016 Jennifer Jordan, a third-year medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pennsylvania, helped lead Meals for Medics to help others during the pandemic. Jennifer and her classmates raised money to purchase hot meals from restaurants, which they delivered to staff members working overnight shifts at a local hospital. . . . Maya Kovach ’17M (MS) and Adam Lott ’17 were married in July 2020. Although the ceremony was small, Maya writes, her sister, Jenny Kovach Gold ’18, ’19W (MS), was in attendance, and dozens of Rochester classmates and mentors joined via Zoom. . . . Jessica Rose (see ’65 Warner). . . . Matthew Todd, a second-year student in the doctor of osteopathic medicine program at Des Moines University in Iowa, received the college’s 2020 Physiology and Pharmacology Discipline Award.
2017 Adam Lott (see ’16 College). . . . Amanda Van Auken is a JD candidate at the University of Chicago Law School.
2019 Emily Kumpf has published I’m Fine: A Student Perspective on Suicide and Mental Health on College Campuses (New Degree Press), which she began writing during her senior year at Rochester. “The book is written from my perspective as a student at the University of Rochester and a recent college graduate working full time at McLean Hospital, a psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School,” she writes. “I very much used my personal experiences being a student (in an academically rigorous environment) in combination with research and primary interviews from leaders in the field of psychology.” Emily is a postbaccalaureate clinical fellow in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at McLean Hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts.
2020 Seiji Yamashita ’20E (see ’20 Eastman).