The Classes

Stanford Economist and Nobel Laureate Guido W. Imbens ’89 AM, ’91 PhD became the faculty director of Stanford Data Science on April 1, an initiative housed within the Office of the Vice Provost and Dean of Research that supports research and scholars through data-driven discovery and data science education opportunities across campus. He specializes in econometrics and, in particular, methods for drawing causal inferences, which measure the cause-and-effect relationships between variables using both experimental and observational data. 

Joel Scheraga ’79 AM, ’81 PhD writes: “I was honored on December 17, 2024, to receive a Distinguished Career Service Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (see pg. 51). It has been a privilege to work with so many talented and dedicated colleagues across the federal government for over 37 years to serve the American people and to protect human health and our precious environment.”

Kathleen Hirsch ’79 AM writes: “I’m thrilled to announce the publication of my first book of poems, Mending Prayer Rugs—a milestone in a long life of publications—at the age of 71. The debut of this book, which treats the topic of social healing through the action of women over time and geographies, is more timely than I could have imagined. When I was a student in the writing program studying under John Hawkes and Verlin Cassill, I worked for the Athletic Association as a writer and moonlighted a bit for BAM. My brother, Matthew Hirsch ’84, saw the early days of the Watson Institute and worked directly with Tom Watson. We have deep roots in the Brown experience and extended community.”

Bob Recktenwald ’75 PhD writes that he “taught at universities across Asia till this century.” Currently, he’s been broadcasting hundreds of his new observations, searchable on the internet at “Extra Thoughts by Robert Recktenwald” blog and with different items through the pseudonymic “Surplus Thoughts by Kiersta Recktenwald” blog.

Bakul Kamani ’71 ScM writes: “I would like to send a shout out to my colleagues from 1969-1971 when I was at Brown engineering working on fluid dynamics under Dr. Karlsson. I remember Suresh Rawal ’75 PhD, who was a great cook and was invited to all parties. I remember Amit Bhattacharya ’72 PhD, Tridib Biswas ’72 AM, ’77 PhD, and Dilip Desaias ’70 ScM, as well as a couple of Turkish and Greek friends. My life has been everything a person could wish for. I married in 1972 and have a daughter, Anjali; a son, Amit; son-in-law Manish Singh; and two beautiful granddaughters, Simran (12) and Syra (3). Absolute joy in our life for Pratima, my wife and faithful partner for 53 years. Wishing all our friends a happy and prosperous New Year.” 

Jessica Lévai ’03 AM, ’07 PhD, the author of The Night Library of Sternendach: A Vampire Opera in Verse, published a second book, The Glass Garden. This novella combines space horror and family drama, inspired in no small part by the author’s study of egyptology at Brown. Visit JessicaLevai.com for more.

Adam Furman writes: “The Scientific Foresight Unit of the European Parliamentary Research Service is a wonderful organization that is making science heard in the EU government. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a trainee here, conducting research and publishing articles. My time has reinforced what I learned at Brown: the importance of scientists and academics to step outside of their comfort zones to communicate, interact, and listen to what is going on in other parts of life. I have learned so much by listening, and also found my perspective is appreciated and valued! Science is for everyone.” 

Arvin Singh has been appointed Secretary of Health for the West Virginia Morrisey Administration. Dr. Singh brings a wealth of experience and expertise, including serving as vice president of strategy and communications for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health since 2020. He also was chairman of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce and chief operating officer for OHL, a provider network affiliate of the Louisiana State University Health System. Beyond corporate organizations, Dr. Singh worked with Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he led initiatives and spearheaded population health projects that transformed patient transportation and care delivery. His professional journey includes formative roles as an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Executive Office of the President, and as a Pathways Program participant at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These experiences offered him invaluable insights into the intersection of public policy, healthcare strategy, and governmental operations—an essential foundation for his current role. His firsthand understanding of federal and legislative processes uniquely positions him to lead West Virginia’s health initiatives with a comprehensive perspective.

In July 2024, renowned science communicators Kimberly Arcand and Megan Watzke coauthored Light: The Visible Spectrum and Beyond. “Light allows humans to see things around us, but we can only see a sliver of all the light in the  universe, also known as the electromagnetic spectrum. Organized along the order of the electromagnetic spectrum—from radio waves to gamma rays—each chapter focuses on a different type of light.” The book contains hundreds of stunning full-color photographs, including new images from the James Webb Space Telescope.

Michael “Mike” Makowsky and Cara Newlon ’14 were married on April 28, 2024, in Pacific Palisades, Calif., after a whirlwind 11-year relationship that began at Brown in 2013. Attending were maid of honor Caroline Bologna ’14 and members of the bridal party Alysse Austin ’14, Travis Bogosian, Minji Cha ’14, Rebecca Gevertz ’14, Ava Langford ’14, Matthew Peterson, and Travis Spangler.

Ayoosh Pareek ’12 joined Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City as a sports medicine surgeon. He specializes in hip, knee, and shoulder surgery, with advanced training and expertise in complex reconstructive surgery, arthroscopic surgery, and joint preservation procedures. His interest is in developing machine learning processes to enhance diagnostic accuracy, surgical outcomes, and patient care in orthopedic surgery. 

Daniela Saltzman writes: “I’m pleased to share that I published my first children’s book, Your Mom’s a Person Too!, on Jan. 20. After graduating from Brown, I started my career at Goldman Sachs and eventually left to pursue an MBA at Harvard Business School. Upon graduating, I joined Vice President Al Gore’s sustainability fund, Generation Investment Management, in London. Like my advocacy work in the sustainability sector, I want to help shift the conversation around motherhood to be honest, uplifting, and fun. I’m hopeful this book is a contribution to that end.”

Jenna Grace Sciuto, professor of English at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, published her second book, Intersecting Worlds: Colonial Liminality in US Southern and Icelandic Literatures, in 2025 with the University Press of Mississippi. The book recalibrates readings of southern U.S. writers by exploring comparable depictions of race, colonialism, whiteness, gender, and sexuality in Icelandic literature. Jenna will be returning to Iceland this summer as a writer-in-residence at Skriðuklaustur Cultural Center.

Clare Frost writes: “My first feature, The Sisters Karras, is now available to watch for free on Tubi in North America. I hope everyone enjoys this tale of family, legacy, success… and Greek textiles. My production company SK Deli Market Productions is now in pre-production on our next feature, The Art of Quitting Gracefully.” Contact Clare at [email protected].

Anne Duggan joined TIFF Investment Management, an outsourced chief investment office focused on nonprofits. She was welcomed by two fellow TIFF Brunonians, Brendon Parry ’04 and Samantha Gross ’15.

 Kierstan Carlson was elevated to vice practice group leader of maritime at Blank Rome LLP on January 1.

Lauren E. Oakes published Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future with Basic Books in November. Lauren writes: “For many, planting a tree has become a catchall way to do something good for the planet. But to what extent can trees really save us, and how?” In Treekeepers, Lauren tackles these questions by taking readers on a poetic and practical journey through the science behind and legitimacy of the global reforestation movement. Lauren also welcomed a baby girl, Arden (named after the Forest of Arden in England), into her family this year. Contact Lauren at [email protected].

Luke W. Meier was elevated to copractice group leader, government contracts, at Blank Rome LLP on January 1.

Ayelet Amittay is a perinatal psychiatric nurse practitioner in Eugene, Ore. Her book of poems, The Eating Knife, was published by Fernwood Press in March. She is also a winner of the 2024 three-day International Chapbook Competition for her chapbook Therapy Room. You can find her at www.ayeletpoet.com or contact her at [email protected]. 

OpenAI hired Leah F. Belsky ’02 as its first general manager of education. In this role, she will work to bring the artificial intelligence startup’s products to more schools, boost its engagement with teachers and students, and work with OpenAI’s own teams on their partnerships with the academic community, as reported in Bloomberg. She was formerly chief revenue officer at Coursera. 

Andrew Frank writes: “Accelerain, a company that I founded in 2016, was recognized as a 5x winner of the Philadelphia100, which ranks the top 100 fastest growing companies, and was subsequently inducted into the Philadelphia100 Business Hall of Fame. Accelerain serves B2B clients in four continents and was recognized for our innovation by Goldman Sachs.” Contact Andrew at [email protected].

Paul Grellong writes: “After successful productions at the Warehouse Theatre in Greenville, South Carolina, Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, and Menier Chocolate Factory in London, my play Power of Sail has been published by Broadway Play Publishing.”

Numa, the Oakland-based AI startup founded in 2017 by Steven Ginn, Joel Grossman ’99, Tasso Roumeliotis, and Andy Ruff, secured $32 million in a Series B funding round, positioning itself as a transformative force for car dealerships across North America. The company initially focused on a broader AI product aimed at conversational commerce. However, the team recognized the immense potential to specialize in the automotive vertical, prompting a pivot to provide highly targeted automation tools for car dealerships.

Jonathan (Jon) Persky of the Boston office was named a partner at Constangy effective Jan. 1, 2025. Jon represents clients in federal and state courts, arbitration, and administrative agencies. Before joining Constangy as senior counsel in 2018, Jon was an associate at Boston-based firms focused on business litigation and employment law. Jon attended the UConn School of Law, where he graduated with highest honors in 2006. He is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In 2023, Jon’s dedication and skill were recognized when he was named one of Thomson Reuters’s “Stand-Out Lawyers,” an honor given to professionals making a significant impact in their field.

In Spring 2026, Dutton/Penguin will publish Susie Kramer Nadler’s debut young adult novel, Lies We Tell About the Stars, in which 17-year-old Celeste searches for her best friend in the aftermath of a catastrophic San Francisco earthquake. Celeste becomes increasingly convinced that he’s still alive but has chosen to disappear. Meanwhile, the rest of the nation distracts itself from the disaster by obsessing over the first human mission to Mars. Susie sold the novel in a two-book deal, so she’ll also be publishing another YA book! She works as a school librarian and lives in San Francisco with Saul Nadler and their teenage twins.

Jordan Roter is a published novelist, professional screenwriter, TV writer, and producer living in Los Angeles. Her new novel, Moms Like Us, was published by Little A in May 2025.

Erica Bree Rosenblum, professor of global change biology at UC Berkeley, released a book and companion journal on January 8 titled AND: The Tiny Word That Can Radically Transform Your Life.

On February 5, the Healthcare Technology Report published its Top 50 Women Leaders in Healthcare Technology of 2024. The list included Atropos Health’s Joy Somogyi, senior vice president, marketing. This award recognizes Joy’s achievements in leading marketing and communications efforts for Atropos Health since joining the team in 2023. Acknowledged for her steady leadership and expertise in the healthcare technology space, Joy’s work at Atropos Health is focused on building a community devoted to making evidence the basis for decision making in medicine.

Sanjay Magavi writes: “I’d like to let folks know that my wife, Zeyneb Magavi, received an honorable mention as one of Boston Globe’s Bostonians of the Year for her environmental work. Her organization, HEET, has championed networked geothermal systems to provide effective, affordable heating and cooling without the use of fossil fuels. They convinced Eversource, a New England utility, to build a neighborhood-wide pilot project replacing gas lines with networked geothermal!” Contact Sanjay at [email protected].

After the death of his father, Prince Karim Al-Hussaini, Aga Khan IV, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini ’95 was appointed Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims. The late Aga Khan helped found a charity responsible for running hundreds of hospitals and educational and cultural projects, mainly in the developing world. Prince Rahim is the eldest son of the former Aga Khan and has served on the boards of various agencies within the Aga Khan Development Network.

Leora Tanenbaum launched her new book Sexy Selfie Nation: Standing Up for Yourself in Today’s Toxic, Sexist Culture in May. At the time of this submission, Leora was preparing to moderate a panel discussion on “Changing the Narrative Around Sexy Selfies,” featuring several members of the Brown community, at the Pembroke Center Commencement Forum. Leora wrote Sexy Selfie Nation after fielding panicked messages from parents about their daughters’ “inappropriate” clothes and selfies. She shows that critiques of young women’s clothing and selfies are misguided, even harmful. Rather, the problem we all should be concerned about is the toxic, sexist conditions that shape young women’s daily lives. Leora writes she is also excited to serve on the planning committee for the November 7-9 campus event celebrating 130 years of Jewish Life at Brown and looks forward to seeing alums there.

Azadeh Ghotbi exhibited her work in London at the Marie Jose Gallery between January 29 and March 15. 

Adam Komisarof writes: “I am currently president of the Brown University Club of Japan. I read the BAM religiously and absolutely love it. Thank you so much for your fine work. In February 2025, I published The SAGE Handbook of Intercultural Communication.”

Suzanne Cable was awarded the Bob Marshall Award for Individual Champion of Wilderness Stewardship 2024 by the USDA Forest Service, recognizing her 30-plus
years of service to wilderness preservation and management. 

A distinguished scholar of international law, Sarah H. Cleveland ’87, is the second woman to represent the United States and serve as a judge on the International Court of Justice. Her term is a nine-year commitment that began in February. She has worked for the United Nations Human Rights Committee and the European Commission for Democracy through Law, as well as in the U.S. government, where she served as counselor on international law to the legal adviser of the State Department. She remains a member of the U.S. Secretary of State’s Advisory Committee on International Law.

Joan Barzilay Freund writes: “I wanted to share news of my latest book, Defining Style: The Book of Interior Design, which examines 25 interior design styles through the eyes of 150 of the world’s top designers and architects. The project was spearheaded by Keith Fox, Phaidon’s longtime CEO, and includes projects by Nathalie Farman-Farma ’90, Natalia Miyar ’97, Tal Schori ’03, and Rustam-Marc Mehta ’03. The book was published on March 6, 2025, by Phaidon.” 

Chuck Han writes: “On the summer solstice of this leap year, I exchanged vows with Mutsuko Adachi at our commitment ceremony at the beautiful Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley, California. In attendance were fellow ’86ers Wendy Chin, Domenic Di Meo, David Geffen, and John Mannato (my best man when I married my late wife Susan Kobayashi ’87 in 1988). Our children Mina Han, Dylan Han, and Lauren Adachi ’22 led the procession. Susan and I met Mutsuko in 1990 as she was a bridesmaid for her sister-in-law, Wendy. Though our paths crossed only occasionally over the decades, I like to jokingly take full credit for Lauren’s matriculation as I insisted that Lauren practice her alumni interview with me, and we all know how important those were! In all seriousness, I think the example and encouragement of Susan and Wendy, two women electrical engineering alums, influenced Lauren’s decision to attend Brown and concentrate in EE, where she excelled beyond all of us. In an unbelievable twist, Lauren’s West Quad Jameson room was across the hall from the room that Marco Garcia and I shared, the same one that David and Andrew Moran shared! At the end of Susan’s life, she encouraged Mutsuko, also widowed, to get together with a widower, and here we are. As my life has come full circle, I feel immense gratitude to Brown as it has shaped the most important parts of my life: my past, present, and future Brown family.”

Tracey Zeckhausen writes: “My mom, Suzanne Ross Zeckhausen ’55, moved from her longtime home in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, to Chapel Hill Senior Living in Cumberland, Rhode Island, two years ago to be closer to me, her grandchildren, and her great-grandchild. Despite some minor chronic health issues, she is doing quite well. At the time of this writing, she is hoping to attend some portion of her reunion. I am celebrating my 40th and she, her 70th.” Contact Suzanne at [email protected]. 

Dr. Allen B. White retired from his research meteorology position with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in mid-January. He spent his career studying boundary-layer turbulence, air-pollution meteorology, Pacific winter storms (including atmospheric rivers), and precipitation microphysics. He ended his career serving as the chief of the data, instrumentation, and field campaigns division in the NOAA physical sciences laboratory in Boulder, Colo. In retirement, he plans to travel with his wife, Pam, both near and abroad. Contact Allen at [email protected].

Chiyo Imai Rowe writes: “In November, Tuyet Nguyen and I spent two weeks exploring Japan together. I introduced her to around 20 of my relatives and we visited many of my favorite spots, as well as a few new ones. We even found ourselves stranded at a train station for several hours waiting for the winds of a typhoon to subside. Along the way, we enjoyed plenty of tofu and delicious Asian pears from my cousin’s orchard. As we traveled, Tuyet shared stories from her childhood in Vietnam and her experiences as a refugee after leaving the country. Although we decided on this trip impulsively in October, the idea of visiting Japan together had been in the works since I returned from my year as an exchange student at Keio University—44 years ago.”

Terry Horton is working at Indivior as vice president of patient insights and advocacy. Terry partners with other patient advocacy groups to ensure access to quality addiction care and best practices to foster recovery.

Diego Garces writes: “After years of working in the U.S., Switzerland, Germany, and Russia, I’m back in the States and overjoyed that my daughter Francesca will be joining Brown’s Class of  ’29. I’ll bring her to campus in August 2025—excited to relive old memories in a new chapter.” 

Amy Lowrie Taivalkoski writes: “A spontaneous mini-reunion of the freshman of Everett Hall in West Quad class of ’81 took place in January. Living in Boise now, I don’t get to the East Coast often so while I was visiting Jacki Cullen Howitt in Manhattan, we decided to see if others would like to spend a casual afternoon together. Happily we got a great turnout that included Leo Alventosa, Tom Apple, Peter Dain, Marlene DeMaio, Lisa DeRensis, Nigel Foster, Sue Howitt ’80, Toshio Nakamura ’83 ScM, ’87 PhD, Chris Pappo, Grant Price ’82 MD and Frances Wu. Joining on Zoom for a bit were Jeff Alperin and Beth Burlingame. It was wonderful to see the old gang again and reconnect, catch up, and reminisce about our younger days. Yes, we all look the same.”

 Lauren Wolk, New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor-winning author of Wolf Hollow, continues her legacy of writing phenomenal children’s fiction in her highly anticipated middle grade novel Candle Island, where her character Lucretia comes to terms with the loss of her father on a remote Maine island and explores the restorative power of art. Lauren’s award-winning work has long been praised by media and educators alike.

Glenn Stewart published Columbo Explains the Seventies: A TV Cop’s Pop Culture Journey in February with Bonaventure Press. The book explores how Columbo’s TV popularity stems partly from the character sharing many values with his seventies audience, reflecting many socio-cultural issues of the era. Stewart examines how Columbo highlights class conflict, power struggles, feminism, race relations, sex, technology, media, psychology, politics, and violence, revealing the ways this TV cop is a product of his particular time. 

Robert Feder writes: “I retired from the practice of divorce law and moved to New Haven/Yale to be near my son and his wife, who had my first grandson in March. I continue to pursue many hobbies that include pickleball, online courses, community service, classical music, dance, ballet, and movies.”

On Saturday, January 25, at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Valerie Mehlig Curry was in a cohort of 18 commissioned by the Rt. Rev. Robert Wright as lay ministers. An educator by vocation, Valerie’s lay ministry volunteer work is as a pastoral caregiver, Evangelist, Eucharistic minister, and visitor. Beyond her home faith-community of St. Edward’s Episcopal Church and other churches, she carries her ministry into senior living homes, regular homes, funerals, and hospitals. Valerie supports the grieving, sick, and lonely: “all souls who desire a closer walk with God and connection with the divine as children of God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.” Not raised a Christian, Valerie was introduced to Jesus as an undergraduate via Brown’s chaplaincy activities led by Chaplain Charles Baldwin. 

In a blind competition judged by a panel consisting of choral directors from the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the New England Conservatory, a choir piece by David Hahn titled “I Can’t Breathe” was selected for performance for the Voices of NEC concert series on March 6, 2025, in Boston’s Jordan Hall. David’s notes on the piece read: “On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner, who was selling loose cigarettes on the street in Staten Island, died after a police officer put him in a chokehold during the arrest. According to a video of the event, Mr. Garner cried out “I can’t breathe” eleven times before dying. The piece has numbers from 1 to 11 instead of rehearsal marks to indicate the number of times Mr. Garner repeated the phrase.”

Linda Jaivin’s thirteenth book, Bombard the Headquarters!: The Cultural Revolution in China, was launched in the UK in April 2025 by Old Street Publications, and in Australia in June by Black Inc. It follows up from her internationally published The Shortest History of China (named best book on China in 2021 by Five Books). She lives in Sydney, Australia, and can be contacted via her website: lindajaivin.com.au.

Richard Cohn writes: “In December I taught my last class at Yale, completing 45 years of teaching music theory to mostly undergraduate students. I will be spending most of the next two years as a visiting professor at the University of Sydney, where I’ve been visiting when I can for the last 12 years, incubating an incipient community of Australian music theory researchers. Additionally, the European Union Commission appointed me as the European Area Research Chair for a five-year term, awarding a 2.5 million Euro grant to run a music theory research group at the University of Coimbra in Portugal, so I’ll be spending time there when I am able and increasingly so in 2027. Later this year, MIT Press will be publishing my notes for an undergraduate non-majors course, A Simple Mathematics of Musical Pitch and Time.” Contact Richard at [email protected].

Carol Norris Brown writes: “The Brown Annual Fund Participation Award is given in recognition of the alumni class with the highest percent participation in giving to the Annual Fund, and the Class of 1974 is the 2024 winner. Additionally, we had the highest class donor participation of 50th Reunions in recent history with 40 percent. What a wonderful way to mark our 50th Reunion with these recognitions for our class.”

Steve Small writes: “Just when I thought I was out, they drag me back in…. After six years of retirement after teaching high school, All Elite Wrestling invited me back into show business as arena production manager for their weekly live broadcasts and monthly pay-per-view events. On March 3, 2024, I was alongside WWE Hall of Fame wrestler Sting (Steve Borden) as he won his sold-out retirement match in Greensboro, North Carolina. Similarly, I was with Sting for his final match for TNA Wrestling in Huntsville, Alabama, January 24, 2014, and his final match for World Championship Wrestling in Panama City, Florida, March 26, 2001.”

Samuel “Skip” Halpern is teaching a summer seminar at the Chautauqua Institution titled “Retired, Retiring Soon, or Mid-Career: Insights from Work Life that Deepen your Larger Life,” based on his book Wellsprings of Work: Surprising Sources of Meaning and Motivation in Work. The book explores psychological and spiritual drivers of fulfillment that operate beneath the surface of wide-ranging careers and continue operating throughout life. The seminar is aimed at anyone nearing the end of a career or retired, wondering what it all amounted to and what comes next.

Alan M. Birnbaum writes: “I’m now a semi-retired neurologist. I avoid getting bored by serving on three boards—for my hospital, local blood center, and synagogue. I travel with my wife and read widely, sharing interesting articles with a number of friends. One such friend is my classmate and former Brown Daily Herald Editor-in-Chief Terry Schwadron, whose regular articles on national affairs read like the New York Times—not surprising, as he retired from that greatest of American newspapers as a senior editor.”

Jim Falconer writes: “I am always a little disappointed when the BAM arrives and there are no entries from the Class of ’67. Why? I would like to be reminded of my years at Brown, as well as be surprised and/or inspired by what my classmates are doing. Well, I guess I am as much at fault as the rest of you. So, here it goes. I have been married to my Danish wife for over 54 years, which has brought me joy, two children, four grandchildren, and one step-grandchild—plus a large, warm, and welcoming Danish family. I practiced law for 25 years after graduating from Stanford Law School. After working for a large Seattle law firm, I formed a law firm with other Stanford classmates. In 1995, I started a private investment company focusing on urban real estate, the Alaska fishing industry, and various start-ups. Being partially retired, I now concentrate on community projects, including affordable workforce rental housing, independent journalism, and environmental restoration. You can check out some of the foregoing by checking  Seattle Times Investigative Reporting and Climate Lab projects. Also, you can enjoy on your public radio station one of our favorite projects: BirdNote. If you want to see inspired middle schoolers, check out the Washington Native Plant Society YEER project. But, to see what keeps me going, check out the article on my Covid pandemic adventures in the April 18, 2021, edition of the Wall Street Journal. Yes, life has been good, but, of course, not without some sorrows along the way.
So, let’s hear from you.”

Robert Buehler published a new children’s book, Sniffy Butcho and the Flip Flop Bird, available on Amazon, Bookshop, and Barnes and Noble. Contact Robert at [email protected]. 

Charles Townsend writes from his Canaan, N.H., farmstead that he is currently busy as a member of several local nonprofit boards. This after he retired (in reverse order) after three terms in the N.H. House of Representatives, a career in hospital information analysis, and from the Peace Corps work he and his wife did.

Nancy Scull is still active on the board of Friends of Meali, which now has three schools in Tanzania. They have also subsidized more than 50 students for higher education, with many becoming professionals, including one doctor and several more on the way. She is deservedly proud of the organization she founded.

The Class of ’63 Mini Reunion will be held in Providence September 17-19, 2025. If you would like to attend any of the individual events, please let Mary Lou Clark Levine know at [email protected]. If you would like more information on the events, please contact Joe Fisler at [email protected] or  Barbara Smith Langworthy at [email protected]. With so many of our classmates living in the area, we hope to see many of you at some of the events planned. Some will also be extending their stay to attend the football game on Sept. 20.

John “Jack” Crowley is looking for classmates from the Class of 1961. Contact him at [email protected]. 

Jay Gordon published The Diary of a City Priest with Archway Publishing of Simon and Schuster. He writes: “It is the personal story of an Episcopal priest who worked in Newark, Harlem, and the Upper West Side of Manhattan during the turbulent times of the 1960s and 1970s, including his reflections on the social and theological changes at that time.” 

Dr. James Botwick writes: “Living in Hilton Head since 1986, I retired (for the second time!) in 2013. Since then, I’ve been busy volunteering in Hilton Head in several capacities: at our local free clinic Volunteers In Medicine; at our local Hilton Head Island airport as an airport ambassador guiding visitors during the summer months; at our annual Heritage Golf Tournament (total of 21 years!); and at our Concours d’Elegance Classic Automobile Show for several years, to mention a few. In addition, I’ve been a poll worker for the past eight years. In January of 2023, I began hosting at a local upscale restaurant in Hilton Head because I just missed being out there with people. Hosting is so much fun for me, and I think I’d do it even if I didn’t get paid for it! We (my partner Cheryl and I) have also continued our travels throughout the world, visiting six of the seven continents (still hoping to get to Australia). Next up is a train trip through Switzerland. After that, who knows! Who says octogenarians have to sit back and relax? Not this one!”

Bud Feuchtwanger writes: “I am supposedly retired in an active retirement community on Long Island. I play golf and tennis, have a good social life, and invent things. I received two patents in the urology area (with no medical training) and one that encourages kids to brush their teeth (I was bad at that). Now I’m trying to sell the patents, which is no easy task.”

Roger Hale celebrated his 90th birthday with daughters Jocelyn “Jocey” Hale ’85, Leslie Hale ’87, and Nina Hale ’89.

Joan Bliss Wilson writes: “My husband Tom and I celebrated our 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by our family of 30 children and great-grandchildren. We live at Kendal at Hanover near the Dartmouth campus so we keep up with the many activities there. I’m always glad to hear what’s going on at Brown.”

Marshall H. Cohen reports: “On behalf of Herb Cohen’s classmates in the Brown and Pembroke class of 1954, we extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends. We will long remember Herb’s loyalty to Brown and the Class of 1954 as class vice president, and his participation at our class reunions and mini-reunions in the United States and abroad. Herb’s sense of humor and wise counsel, his friendship and good nature, will always be in our thoughts and conversations. 

Robin Arehart ’93 MAT published Eco-freak on Dec. 1. Robin writes: “For all the Ecofreaks from Brown.”

Elizabeth Searle ’88 AM is cowriter of the feature film I’ll Show You Mine (Duplass Brothers Productions), released last year in select theaters and now widely available on home screens via AmazonPrime, Peacock, AppleTV and more. She cowrote the film with David Shields ’78 and Tiffany Louquet, and it stars Poorna Jagannathan (Wolfs) and drew positive reviews in the New York Times and elsewhere. Elizabeth is also the author of five books of fiction, including A Four-Sided Bed, which is in development as a feature film; and the playwright of Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera, which has been produced in Boston, L.A., Chicago, and New York City.  The rock opera and I’ll Show You Mine have both drawn national media attention. elizabethsearle.net.

Ann Marie Jodoin ’86 AM and Michael H. Wright ’88 MD first met, dated, and fell in love at Brown. After graduation, they followed different paths, but 32 years later, the two reconnected and have been making the most of their time together ever since. Last summer their adventures led them to Mount Rushmore. They write they are savoring every moment, from rediscovering each other to exploring new places. “Thank you Brown for bringing us back together!”

Kate Schapira ’06 MFA writes: “My first book of nonfiction, Lessons from the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth: How to Live With Care and Purpose in an Endangered World, was published on April 9, 2024, with Hachette Go. The book addresses our collective concerns about climate change with empathy, grace, and practical strategies to help us all envision a viable future. By moving through personal and general climate anxiety, frustration, helplessness, and grief, readers can move toward a sense of shared purpose and community care. The book is rooted in over ten years of listening to people’s climate anxieties. I’ve staffed the Climate Anxiety Counseling Booth at environmental justice convenings held by Communities First and at the Bloomberg Green Festival, and I’m currently supporting climate and community resilience work in Warren, R.I.” 

Chris Holmes ’00 MAT, ’12 PhD published Kazuo Ishiguro Against World Literature on Nov. 14 with Bloomsbury Press. 

Intus Care founders Robbie Felton ’22, Evan Jackson ’22, and Alex Rothberg ’22 were among those announced on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Intus Care builds healthcare analytics software to help identify risks and optimize healthcare for low-income seniors (see “Data-Driven Elder Care,” Jun.-Aug. ’22).

Louisa Conwill writes: “Daniel Tully ’23 and Julia Toth Tully ’24 were married at Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Kula, Hawaii, on July 12. The wedding Mass was celebrated by two former Brown Catholic chaplains—Fr. Edmund McCullough and Fr. Albert Duggan ’03. A number of Brown alumni were in attendance.”

Paige Morris is the cotranslator of We Do Not Part, a novel by the 2024 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Han Kang. The English translation has received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Contact Paige at [email protected]. 

Ria Mirchandani writes: “I’ve partnered with my good friend and RISD ’15 illustration alum, Shivantika Jain Kothari, to create a book about our two favorite cities, Bombay and New York. The book, Bombay || New York, tells the tangled tale of two cities that are as alike as they are different. Through 20 whimsically illustrated vignettes, the book draws parallels between daily life in these vibrant megacities, evoking appreciation for where you are, nostalgia for where you long to be, and inviting you to embrace the beauty of the in-between. Check out bombaynewyorkbook.com.”

Jonathan Staloff ’19 ScM, ’19 MD, a family medicine physician at the University of Washington in Seattle, coauthored Reshaping Health Systems: What Drives Health Care and How You Can Change It. Jonathan writes: “I am hopeful it can be a foundational resource for health professions students and trainees to learn about the core health systems structures and policies that influence patient care and provide concrete tools they can use to make change in their clinical environments. My education at Brown, studying public health in undergrad, and population medicine in medical school, were essential to my involvement in this book and its content.” 

Eric Lewin writes: “On November 4, my wife, Emily Shire, and I welcomed our daughter Adira Hazel Lewin into the world. She has already brought immeasurable joy to us and numerous Brunonians, including Grandpa Howard Shire ’75, Grandma Sharon Eisenstat Shire ’81, Uncle Adam Lewin ’09, Aunt Sara Epstein Lewin ’08, and Uncle Ethan Shire ’19.”

Emily Dellenbaugh and Kyle Droniak were married on Sept. 7 in Guilford, Conn. Emily was on the Brown sailing team, many members of which were there to celebrate, as well as alumni friends and family, including Fariha Ali ’10, James Barry ’16, Susan Scavone Benz, Brad Dellenbaugh ’76, Elizabeth Gordon Dellenbaugh ’87, Spencer Dellenbaugh ’24, Sally Evans ’11, Victoria Wilson Foster, Lauren Bosso Kowall, Nate Myers ’08, Ashley Noble ’13, Nikolas Osvalds ’11, ’12 ScM, Megan Grapengeter Rudnick ’17, Yoojin Rhee, Cecilia Strömbeck ’11, and Elizabeth Barry Swanson ’11 

Wendy Castillo and Kamden K. Strunk published How to QuantCrit on Oct. 30 with Routledge. Wendy writes: “It’s the first book of its kind. It equips researchers and users of quantitative data with practices to alter how they collect and analyze quantitative data. Using Quantitative Critical Race Theory (QuantCrit) as a framework, this book develops the foundation for an iterative praxis to explore a range of questions that prompt practitioners and stakeholders to be engaged critics in working toward a more just and equitable society.”

Kevin Pratt and Lauren Elizabeth Mansy were married on Dec. 16, 2023, at College Church in Wheaton, Ill.

This past fall, Jeffrey Prystowsky started a new job at Loeb & Loeb LLP, an entertainment law firm in New York City, to practice music copyright law. 

Jason Lambrese ’10 MD writes: “What better way to celebrate entering our 40s than a reunion in San Diego where Ariana Lupercio and Tim Courchaine live? I flew in from Cleveland, Katherine O’Keefe from Philadelphia, Meghan Edwards from New York, and Emma Zuroski from Auckland. Can’t believe it’s been 22 years since we lived in NP3!” 

Thyra Heder published Nose to Nose on Sept. 17 with Harry N. Abrams Publishing. Thyra writes: “This is my sixth picture book for children I’ve made as both the author and illustrator, and it’s a particularly fun one to gift. It’s very funny and told through revealing what dogs are telling each other through their pee markings. It’s also an emotional story of how misunderstandings can spiral and what it takes to enter a new community.”

Keally DeWitt writes: “I was elected vice chair of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) board for a two-year term. SEIA is the national trade association for the U.S. solar industry. Every day I put the advocacy skills I learned at Brown to use in service of the energy transition.”

Lauren E. Oakes published Treekeepers: The Race for a Forested Future on Nov. 12 with Basic Books. The book offers a critical look at how forests contribute to the fight against climate change, revealing the complex roles they can play in making the planet more habitable for life into the future. Lauren writes: “I spent four years working on this project and interviewed 150 people around the world to craft the narrative. Many people paused their pressing work in research groups, nurseries, fields and forests, companies, NGOs, and governments to speak with me. Their perspectives helped shape this story, and I hope it makes a positive contribution to the wider discussion on the reforestation movement today.”

Raffi Bilek, director of the Baltimore Therapy Center, published The Couples Communication Handbook: The Skills You Never Learned for the Marriage You Always Wanted on Nov. 11 with HeartZig Press.  

Former Coursera executive Leah Belsky ’02 was hired by OpenAI as its first general manager of education. In this role she will work to bring the artificial intelligence startup’s products to more schools, boost its engagement with teachers and students, and work with OpenAI’s team on their partnerships with the academic community. 

Adam Marcus and Andrew Kudless cowrote Drawing Codes: Experimental Protocols of Architectural Representation. It explores the overlaps between computational design and architectural drawing. The book features 96 commissioned drawings and six essays.

Colonel (Dr.) Vincent Capaldi ’03 ScM, ’07 MD, chair of the department of psychiatry in the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University, was honored Nov. 19 with the prestigious 2024 Army Surgeon General’s Award for Military Academic Excellence. This award is the Army Surgeon General’s highest honor and recognizes the outstanding leadership of one active duty officer and one reserve officer in military medicine, as well as their contributions to national academic achievements. He was selected for the award based on his distinguished career in military medicine and his contributions to advancing psychiatry and behavioral health research.

Adriana Valdez Young writes: “This year, I became associate chair of the MFA in Interaction Design (ixD) at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, where I have been teaching design research and inclusive design since 2020. I am excited to be crafting new courses in accessibility, inclusion, and community design, which I have focused on in my own design practice. At ixD, we push students to consider interactions beyond apps and screens to build people-centered solutions to real-world problems. I invite friends and classmates new to the ixD studio to stop by for coffee, cowork for the day, tinker in our play lab, or even teach a workshop. Also on the ixD team is William Allstetter ’23,  a creative technologist and writer serving as the studio technology assistant.” Contact Adriana at [email protected] or via interactiondesign.sva.edu.

Q Mixers, a premium mixer company cofounded by Jordan Silbert ’98 and Ben Karlin ’98, announces the appointment of Betsy Frost ’98 as its new chief executive officer. Betsy is a leader in the beverage industry bringing more than two decades of experience in driving innovation, growth, and brand transformation. Most recently, she served as the CEO of Hoplark. Prior to Hoplark, she served as president of DRY Soda Co., driving its premium positioning and building a 13-year career at General Mills. 

Jennifer Kleeman Wall writes: “We’ve just held our inaugural fundraiser for Zach’s Bridge at the home of Kate Egan Gilbane ’97 and Tom Gilbane III ’97. We exceeded our fundraising goal and had a blast with a few other Brown alumni that included Steven Birnbaum ’74, Daniel M. Gilbane ’98, Eleanor Heard Gilbane ’98, Katherine Egan Gilbane ’97, Stuart Kleeman ’67, and Alexandra Gordon Patel. We’ve had a wonderful response from some of my Brown classmates after the class notes were posted and look forward to continued connections.”

Executive coach and former Olympic athlete Whitney Post Otto and body image therapist Deb Schachter published Body Image Inside Out: A Revolutionary Approach to Body Image Healing on October 29 with Sheldon Press. The book teaches you how to become more skillful at listening, interpreting, and responding to your body image thoughts, so that you can develop a more constructive and connected relationship with your body. 

Jody Buckley Keating writes that some Brown women’s basketball teammates reunited in Iceland in October, including Jen Shaw Finch, Ellen Lenihan Fleherty ’96, Jenn DeLucia Garofolo ’95, Michelle Pagliaro Haywood, Martina Jerant ’95, and Carol Ryan Livingood ’93

Akiko Ichikawa presented five iterations of her performance Limited, Limited Edition in Harlem and Woodside, Queens, for NYC Summer Streets, Flushing, and the South Bronx funded by Korea Art Forum, a NYC-based art nonprofit. She received a Puffin Foundation grant to further her ongoing piece, Sometimes They Listen. Akiko attended the 30th class reunion and was thrilled to catch up with Jessica Arons, Class President Haru Okuda and his wife Hemie, Jen Corn, and Matt Zaklad. Akiko writes: “I was dismayed when the corporation of my beloved alma mater chose not to divest from Israel in October.” Akiko works four days a week as a case manager at Cypress Hills, Brooklyn’s men’s shelter for an organization overseen by NYC’s Department of Homeless Services.

Jesselyn Brown Radack writes: “Our sons (an architect and a data scientist) are happily adulting and our daughter is in her final year at the Naval Academy. Now that our nest is empty, we moved to Paris! I’ve run into a number of Brunonians including Richard Morrill ’61, Charlie Undeland, MJ Batson ’13, and the parents of Zara Massiah ’28. If you find yourself here, please reach out to [email protected] because I love catching up and hosting old friends.”

Jad Daley ’90, president and CEO of American Forests, was named to the 2024 TIME100 Climate list as one of the top 100 innovative leaders driving climate action. He was recognized in the Defender category for his role in leading the strategic direction of American Forests to advance the organization’s mission to create healthy and resilient forests that deliver essential benefits for climate, people, water, and wildlife. His long history of climate leadership includes founding key coalitions such as the Forest-Climate Working Group and U.S. Chapter of 1t.org, as well as authoring federal legislation to establish forest programs. 

Michael Delman writes: “As part of a focus on ‘Boys Are Struggling’ that relates to school success, college readiness, and executive function skills, I was featured on Good Morning America along with a client of my company, Beyond BookSmart. We have launched two new divisions: BrainTracks.com, to train schoolteachers; and WorkSmartCoaching.com, to train corporate professionals and other adults (including college students) who are trying to be more productive and balanced.”

Andrea Horvath Link, executive director of the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Houston Galveston, was honored to give the Fellowship’s Humanitarian of the Year award to fellow Brunonian Mike Nichols ’74 for his work addressing homelessness in Houston. Andrea has been in the nonprofit sector since she left clinical practice in 2001. 

Ben Hall writes: “I’m in my eighth year as the senior content producer for Suffolk University’s Sawyer Business School in Boston and still enjoying it. I got to travel with a student group to Rwanda in early 2024 to write about and photograph the journey for our alumni magazine. With both our boys now in college, Kelly and I are managing to do some traveling ourselves, including Peru, Portugal, France, Scotland, and an oddly rewarding six-hour walk down all of Broadway, from the northern tip of Manhattan to Battery Park.” Contact Ben at [email protected].

Juan F. “Pancho” Alemán writes: “I moved back to the U.S. after 12 years living and working in Tokyo, Singapore, and London as part of a 24-year career with Citibank. In August, I joined the Inter-American Development Bank in Washington, D.C. It would be wonderful to reconnect with classmates there or in the vicinity of Princeton, New Jersey, where my husband and I spend most weekends.” Contact Juan at [email protected].

Pamela Gerrol writes: “In an effort to make the best of being unemployed, I spent nine days in California visiting friends and family last June. I had a lovely visit with my cousin Seth Kertzer ’98 and his family in the beautiful setting of the San Jose Rose Garden, which was in full bloom. I was treated to a home-cooked meal by my cousins in Berkeley, Ari Johnson ’04 and his wife Jess Beckerman ’06. I have no idea how they had time to do this between their roles as parents and physicians and running their health organization Muso, in Mali, but it was a wonderful visit and a delicious meal. Later in the week a great group of classmates came together from all over the Bay area for a festive dinner in Noe Valley, which included Eric Bloch and his wife Isabell, Cathy Cockrum Dean, Carl Haverl, Jim Kleinmann, Joy Shiragian, Mike Tempero, and Adrienne Wong. Fun Fact: Nearly all attendees were meeting each other for the first time. There was also al fresco Mexican dining in Santa Clara with Greg Corning, and a bonus Italian dinner in San Francisco with Felice Liang. My nephew and I were hosted (and chauffeured) by Donald and Jennifer Don Apy for an unforgettable day in Napa with VIP treatment, complete with wonderful private wine tastings at two of their favorite wineries—St. Supéry and Davies—and a fun picnic at V. Sattui. Thank you again to everyone for your generosity and for making time to see me. The trip was the highlight of the year for me. On a separate note, I’d like to wish all of my classmates a happy 60th birthday.”

Ian Maxtone-Graham writes: “I wrote an afterword for one of my favorite novels, Providence, by Geoffrey Wolff, which was reissued in October 2024 by Godine Press. The book is set in the Providence of the early ’80s, when the city was ruled by Buddy Cianci and Raymond Patriarca. I met Geoffrey when he came to speak to a journalism class I was taking, and I subsequently read all of his books. Years later we became close friends, and being asked to write the afterword was both flattering and terrifying. I highly recommend the book to all, especially those who remember Providence as it was back then.”

Steven Kowalski published Creative Together: Sparking Innovation in the New World of Work. The book is about rethinking what creativity is, who we are as creators, and how to create together with others in teams and organizations.

Armand Fasano writes: “My son and I had the privilege of attending a lecture by Arn Chorn-Pond ’90, a remarkable individual. Mr. Chorn-Pond’s work in Cambodia, particularly his efforts to revive music and culture after the devastating impact of the Khmer Rouge regime, is nothing short of extraordinary. The lecture we attended was a deeply moving experience. Mr. Chorn-Pond’s personal stories of survival and his passion for his work were truly inspiring. He spoke eloquently about the importance of music and culture in healing and rebuilding communities. His message resonated deeply with both my son and me. While Mr. Chorn-Pond’s work has been featured in Ted Talks and articles, including a notable piece in BAM [“Songs of Survival,” Jan.-Mar. ’22], nothing compares to the experience of hearing him speak in person. His presence, his passion, and his commitment to his cause are remarkable. Attending this lecture was a genuinely transformative experience. It reminded us of the power of music and culture to bring people together, to heal wounds, and to inspire hope. Mr. Chorn-Pond’s work is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.”

Judy Kosan Cohen writes that her daughter, Wendy Cohen ’19, had artwork on view at the Brooklyn Museum as part of the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition. Blending weaving techniques with found objects, Wendy creates playful and often precarious-looking forms that embody physical comfort and anxiety. Gram’s Door recreates the front door of Cohen’s grandmother’s apartment, complete with the fixtures from the original door. In the same way that Cohen’s crochet process becomes a record of her time and hand, these objects hold memories of her grandmother’s touch.

Russ Ellsworth ’85 ScM writes: “On August 8, I summited Mt. Katahdin in Maine, completing a 20-year section hike of the Appalachian Trail. I hiked most of it (1,500 of 2,200 miles) in the past four years since retiring from a 40-plus-year career as a software engineer working mostly on sensor systems.” Contact Russ at [email protected]. 

Tom Finn writes: “This year, Jeff Robbins and I are writing together again, though slightly differently than while at Brown. In 1976, while I typed his paper due the next morning, Jeff and Andy Chaikin assisted in the background by having a cherry yogurt fight. Pre-word processors, the inevitable cherry plops on the typed pages were more disastrous than now; but Jeff promised to stay up all night re-typing the paper. He was last seen running across Wriston Quad, paper aloft, to deliver the paper to a professor’s Pembroke office. Reaching greater heights in 2024, Jeff has published his book, Notes From the Brink: A Collection of Columns about Policy at Home and Abroad, about which former Massachusetts Governor William Weld said, ‘You hardly know whether to laugh or cry and will likely wind up doing both.’ I published my second book, The Shift Effect: How Small Shifts Improve Leader Performance, a book for leaders based on evidence from 50 of my clients that small shifts in behavior or attitude can make big bottom-line impact, from implementing big systems to shoring up a cross-race relationship.” Contact Tom at [email protected].

Barbara Sunderland Manousso writes that she has been invited to serve on the International Labour Employment Relations Association (ILERA) advisory board. She also serves as a LERA Houston chapter board member. She has been CEO of Manousso Mediation and Arbitration LLC: Solution2Conflict since 1993, an international training program for mediators and arbitrators based in Houston and Portsmouth, R.I.

Vassie Ware, professor of biological sciences at Lehigh University, is the recipient of the University’s Inclusive Excellence Faculty Award. This award recognizes and honors a faculty member for outstanding contributions to research, administration, practice, advocacy, and/or policy, and whose work informs and advances the understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusive excellence at Lehigh University.

Communications Chair Rhonda Port Walker reports: “Mark your calendar for May 23-25, 2025! Our 50th reunion is almost here. A 50th reunion is a huge milestone, and ours will be even more special after missing our 45th. Reunion information will be sent ONLY via email, so be sure to visit my.brown.edu to confirm that your contact information is accurate. If you have news to share or any questions about the 50th reunion, contact me at [email protected] or send your news directly to the BAM at [email protected]. Please consider joining our class site on BrownConnect+ at brownconnectplus.brown.edu and the nearly 300 classmates who are members of the Class of 1975 Facebook group (private group for just our class) at facebook.com/groups/103075568767/” 

The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research conferred the William F. Neuman Award, its oldest and most prestigious honor, on Andrew Arnold ’74 for his scientific contributions in the area of bone and mineral research and for contributions to associates and trainees in teaching, research, and administration. He is a pioneer studying endocrine tumors and hyperparathyroidism. His work includes discovery of cyclin D1, the first known parathyroid oncogene and fundamental cell cycle regulator.

Cy A. Stein writes: “I was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society last year at a meeting in Barcelona. The Society celebrated 20 years in 2022. Oligonucleotides are small bits of DNA or RNA that can be used as therapeutic agents. I received my award for a lifetime of study of phosphorothioate oligodeoxyribonucleotides. There are about half a dozen of these molecules that are FDA-approved and marketed for a variety of indications that otherwise have few or no treatments.”  

Mary Hutchings Reed ’73 AM and her husband, William Reed ’74, attended the Faulkner for All Festival in New Orleans in September, where Thomas Mallon ’73 was honored by The Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society with an ALIHOT (A Legend in His/Her Own Time) Gold Medal for his “multi-genre literary achievement.” Tom gave a keynote address on political fiction and a second presentation on AI, plagiarism, and originality. Mary’s unpublished novel, Markers, was recognized by the Society in its novel writing competition. Her seventh novel, Harmony’s Peace & Joy, launched in September and was recommended by BookLife as “Great for fans of Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House and Lauren Groff’s Arcadia.” It is available in paperback and on Kindle on Amazon: a.co/d/2hs2vSo

Peter Szura writes: “I finally returned to Providence in May 2018. I was shocked how green the Green was. I want to agree with Marty Cohen ’53—‘trying to understand politics as they are, not what we studied.’”

John Jaworski writes: “I am retiring from my lifelong avocation of refereeing varsity high school sports (soccer, 25 years; basketball, 43). However, I will still be training new basketball officials and teaching basketball to pre-high school players. Athletics has been a genuine blessing throughout my life, including my three season participation (flag football, basketball, and softball) in Brown intramurals during my four year undergrad career. Many great memories of games in Marvel Gym with some wonderful friends!  Go Gents!!” 

Pete Johnson writes: “I’m officially retired from the department of mathematics and statistics of Auburn University, but, due to a resignation and a death in our research group, I’m advising eight PhD candidates, and also teaching a course that I’ve been teaching for almost 30 years in hopes of luring one of our young rascals to teach it so that it won’t disappear from our course offering. Eight PhD students is a lot, so I’m working almost as hard as I was before retirement. It’s cutting into my drinking time! That may be a good thing.”

Charles Seagrave writes that he and his wife now reside on a small farm in Northern Wyoming with their “new neighbors”—a herd of 50 buffalo. So far, they seem to ignore him and his Aussiedoodle. 

David Garnes retired from UConn 22 years ago, but has been very busy since. He has published several books available at amazon.com/author/davidgarnes. He has also been involved in theater, book discussions, and literature programs in the greater Hartford (Conn.) area.

Deb Pulikowski Clapp ’93 MAT has retired from teaching after 27 years in the classroom. She has joined her husband Dan working full-time at the 1634 Meadery in Ipswich, Mass. She writes, “Come by for a ‘Brown University Special’ flight of mead and say hello!”

Matthew Kapstein ’87 PhD is now professor emeritus at theÉcole Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, France. He is also an associate of the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, where he taught as a visiting professor until 2022. In 2018, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. His most recent book, Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books (Cornell University Press, 2024), has been awarded this year’s Toshihide Numata Book Award by the Numata Center for Buddhist Studies at UC Berkeley. 

Ian Malcolm Taplin ’86 PhD published Technology, Culture and Change with Cambridge Scholars Press in June. He is professor of sociology, management, and global studies at Wake Forest University and continues to research into the economics and organization of the wine industry in Napa, North Carolina, and England—the latter being his most recent project and the focus of his next book. He can be reached at [email protected].

Kirti Patel ’15 EMHL, an ob-gyn with more than 20 years of experience and graduate of Brown’s Executive Master of Healthcare Leadership program, has launched a new podcast called The Gynarchy. “I am incredibly excited to create a platform where women can learn about their health and important feminist issues of the day in a supportive and empowering environment. My goal is to break down the barriers of misinformation and stigma that often surround women’s health issues and inspire and empower women to take control of their health and lives.” The podcast can be found on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and other common podcast platforms. Visit thegynarchypodcast.com to learn more.

Henry Hollingsworth ’22 rowed with Team USA to earn bronze, while Emilie Bydwell ’08 became the first female rugby head coach to win an Olympic medal. As a member of the U.S. figure skating team, Vincent Zhou ’26 was presented with a gold medal more than two years after earning it in a team event upended by a Russian doping scandal.

Max Chung writes: “My multimedia installation, metroequilibrium, opened on Governor’s Island in New York City in September and ran through October 27. This audiovisual installation creates contrasting experiences from intense, urban sounds and sharp imagery to calming, human-based recordings. The still moments that capture sounds of respiration and vocalization create a reprieve within an architecture of chaos and disorientation. This immersive experience captures life in New York City with an overwhelming abundance of noise and light.”

Soumitri Barua ’21 MD and Vishal Khetpal ’20 MD were married in June . The celebration uniquely blended elements of their Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Members of the wedding party included maid of honor Alyssa Gonzalez ’21 MD (married to bridesman Alex Vidmar ’18), Isabel Kim, Michelle Kwon ’22 MD, Vishnu Kadiyala, and Edgar Garcia ’16, ’20 ScM, ’21 MD. They were joined by more than 30 of their closest friends from Brown, along with Vishal’s uncle Vijay Khetpal ’10, adding a special touch to the joyous occasion.

Katie Harris married Jake Miller in Boulder, Colo., on July 13. The ceremony was officiated by Oliver Pucker. Guests included William Spector and father of the bride, Scott F. Harris ’84. The couple are returning to the Bay area.

Suzannah Weiss published her first book, Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, with Polity Press on July 11. Suzannah writes: “It describes my search for sexual empowerment and lays out a vision for moving beyond the objectification of women, incorporating many ideas I learned while studying Modern Culture & Media and Gender & Sexuality Studies at Brown.” 

Theresa Arrioala ’10, a cofounder of Our Common Wealth 670, is a Grist 50 honoree. Grist Magazine, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on climate and the environment, publishes the Grist 50 each year. The list includes scientists, artists, policymakers, farmers, social justice advocates, storytellers, entrepreneurs, technologists, chefs, clean energy wonks—all kinds of people pointing the way toward a just, sustainable future. 

Leah Segal, a tax lawyer at Goulston & Storrs in Boston, has been named a “New Leader in the Law” by Law.com in its 2024 New England Legal Awards for her professional excellence, outstanding leadership in client service, and dedication to the community. Leah’s tax practice includes commercial real estate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, tax controversies, and tax-exempt governance and compliance issues for educational, medical, charitable, and other tax-exempt organizations. Contact Leah at [email protected].

Christopher Malikschmitt started working as the inaugural chief operating officer at Dorf Nelson & Zauderer LLP in September. Chris works out of their Rye, N.Y., office and is excited to be back in the New York metro area with his wife and three little boys. Contact him at [email protected].

In March 2024, Marisa Hernández-Stern was sworn in as a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge by her father, Judge Michael L. Stern, and brother, Judge Benjamin Hernández-Stern ’03. In attendance were Marisa’s family and friends, including her mother Antonia Hernández, who holds an honorary degree from Brown, her brother Michael Hernández-Stern ’09, Los Angeles Superior Court Commissioner Susel Carrillo-Orellana ’00, Ashley Goodrich-Mahoney, Liliana Ornelas ’08, and her undergraduate history faculty adviser Professor Michael Vorenberg. Many others joined the ceremony virtually, including Kristin Bartholomew and Carlos Lejnieks ’00 

Sara Schaff ’00 was recognized with a 2024 NYSCA/NYFA Artist Fellowship in Fiction. She is the author of the story collections The Invention of Love and Say Something Nice About Me, a CLMP Firecracker Award finalist in fiction, and a 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist for short fiction. Her writing has appeared in Catapult, Kenyon Review Online, The Missouri Review, Yale Review Online, Michigan Quarterly Review, LitHub, and elsewhere.