The Classes

Katharina Galor ’96 PhD writes: “My new book Out of Gaza: A Tale of Love, Exile, and Friendship was published by Potomac Books (University of Nebraska Press) on September 1. The book traces the story of Dima Mansour, a young Palestinian woman who grew up in Gaza and later sought refuge in Europe, and the friendship that formed between us. Through this personal narrative, the book explores themes of love, exile, identity and the lasting impact of historical trauma.”

Martha Dunham ’93 PhD is an independent researcher whose first patent, #12318851, Subtractive Manufacturing of Gyroid Structures, was issued on June 3, 2025. A second, divisional patent is pending.

Communications Vice President Geri Williams reports: “The Class of 1970 had a wonderful 55th Reunion in May with 118 class members and additional spouses and partners attending various events. About 50 women attended the Pembroke breakfast and enjoyed cranberry coffee cake and mimosas while catching up. The thought-provoking forum on the ‘Soul of the University’ with panelists Harold Bailey Jr., Ken Miller, and University Chaplain Janet Cooper Nelson, moderated by Rev. Peter Laarman, nearly filled Metcalf Auditorium with many classmates and members of other classes and generated many questions and answers. Our Saturday night clam boil dinner was a festive event and another great opportunity to catch up with classmates. One of the highlights of the weekend was the jubilant procession out of the Van Wickle Gates and down College Hill. A large, boisterous group of 1970 alumni marched together behind our banner with lots of signs reading “1970 Strikes Again.” We peeled off beside the Rock and cheered on all the younger classes and new graduates and then we were cheered on by all as the procession inverted. A loud and joyous event enjoyed by all. If you have any memories of the reunion or other information to share, send an email to me at [email protected].”

The Poetry Foundation named Andres Cordoba ’25 MFA as one of five 2025 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg poetry fellows. Andres is the recipient of the 2024 John Hawkes Prize, the 2024 Edwin Honig Memorial Award, and the 2025 Keith & Rosmarie Waldrop Prize. He is currently the co-poetry editor for Big Score Lit and an MFA candidate in fiction at New York University.

Lily Zhao and Ian Reardon ’16 held their wedding celebration on July 20, 2024 in the Catskills, N.Y., after an eight-year relationship that began at Brown with a first date at the Avon. Attending were members of the wedding party Laila al-Nuaimi, Arun Varma ’16, Andy Chen ’15, Advik Iyer Guha ’16,  Corey Marsh ’17, and Vicky Zhou.

Philadelphia Flyers Charities’ Garnet Hathaway ’14 and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery cofounder Mariah Draper Calagione ’93 launched Engine 19 IPA, a citrus-forward pale ale brewed with a purpose. The collaboration is an effort to support Hathaway’s ongoing commitment to supporting local first responders and their families through his and his wife Lindsay’s Hath’s Heroes initiative. Engine 19 IPA reflects a shared passion between Hathaway and Dogfish Head for crafting something that brings people together for a cause.

Flynn Berry’s new novel Trust Her was published on June 24. Flynn writes: “My most recent novel Northern Spy was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and a New York Times bestseller.”

Angela Siew was awarded a 2025 Connecticut Artist Fellowship for a selection from her poetry chapbook “Coming Home,” which was a finalist for the 2023-24 CutBank Chapbook Contest (University of Montana). Learn more at angelasiew.com/books. Contact Angela at [email protected].

Class Officers write: “Excited about our upcoming 20th Reunion? So are we! Share recent updates and what you are most looking forward to at Reunion here in Class Notes or send to [email protected] for a chance to be featured!”

Emily Weinstein writes: “My debut memoir Turn To Stone was published on September 2 with Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. It is a memoir of sex, angst, and rocks, chronicling one woman’s ascent—on walls of stone and within herself—as she faces her demons and finds freedom and power in the raw and wild adventure of rock climbing.” Contact Emily at [email protected].

Gretchen Green ’98 MMScM, ’00 MD writes: “I’m excited to share the news that I did astronaut training as a member of the Blue Origin New Shepard NS-32 crew, which launched on Saturday, May 31. Our flight mirrored that of Alan Shepard, first American in space, whom I had the pleasure to meet while I worked as a crew trainer at Space Camp in 1994. It seemed impossible until now, but it was always worth fighting for despite all the challenges. I followed just over 100 women to fly in space in human history, and I am humbled, honored, and so incredibly grateful for this opportunity.”

Diane Johnson Grant and Joseph Grant ’95 eloped in July 2024 and had a church wedding in Manning Chapel on Feb. 7, 2025. There were several Brown alums in attendance including Brown Corporation members Joelle Murchison ’95 and Kwame Campbell ’92, and Brown’s VP for Campus Life Patricia Poitevien-LeBlanc ’98 MD. Rev. Janet Cooper Nelson was the officiant.

Ian Reifowitz writes: “My new book Riling Up the Base: Examining Trump’s Use of Stereotypes through an Interdisciplinary Lens (coauthored with Dr. Anastacia Kurylo) was published by DeGruyter Brill in August. Also, the Progressive Policy Institute published my article “How Democrats have lost sight of Obama’s vision of American national identity.” Jane Kaufman ’94, a gynecologist, and I live in New York City with our two wonderful daughters, Lauren, who just graduated from Cornell, and Kate, who starts at Emory in the fall.” Contact Ian at ian.
[email protected].

Dr. Paco Rodriguez, a musculoskeletal radiology specialist, has been assistant team radiologist for the St. Louis Cardinals and the St. Louis Blues (formerly St. Louis Rams), consulting radiologist for the NFL Combine and, from 2008 to 2025, head team radiologist for the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s pictured with new Jaguars head coach Liam Coen who spent three years as QB coach at Brown (2010, 2012-2013). “Go Bruno in the NFL!”

Dan Pearson writes: “My screenplay Gan (The Garden) was copyrighted this past spring; it combines the Book of Tobit and Paradise Lost (in the original iambic pentameter) with an unsubtle concern for the environment and fun action scenes. An unformatted edition may be found at my blog, aneremia.wordpress.com. As I fumble around on the wrong coast for a Hollywood producer, I ask: Are you one, or do you know one? Ever true.” Contact Dan at [email protected]. 

Evie Ladin writes: “True to those who create independent concentrations, I have a successful three-decade-plus career as a professional musician, songwriter, dancer, choreographer, and square-dance caller. Roots music was not popular when we were launched into careers, but due to its current popularity and the fact that many of our kids are grown, I am finally meeting more of my age group in the scene. Recent releases include a live album of original songs and the second edition of old time fiddle/banjo duets with 17 different fiddlers, as well as Bay Area performances with my body-music dance company MoToR/dance. National tour dates abound and I hope to cross paths with Brunonians wherever I land.” See dates at evieladin.com/events. Contact Evie at [email protected].

Pebble Kranz ’07 MD writes: “I am pleased to share two recent professional milestones. As a sexual medicine and menopause medicine specialist, I serve as founder and medical director of the Rochester Center for Sexual Wellness, where our team is dedicated to advancing care for individuals of all genders across the spectrum of sexual and relational health. At the 2025 SSTAR (Society for Sex Therapy and Research) conference, I was honored with the Sexual Tipping Point Award for a presentation introducing a trauma-informed protocol designed to help individuals who have not been able to undergo pelvic exams due to prior trauma. This approach aims to reduce barriers to essential gynecological care through a stepwise, patient-led process that highlights consent, bodily autonomy, and empowerment in medical settings. Additionally, I recently contributed a chapter to the third edition of New Directions in Sex Therapy, focusing on sexual health education in medical training. I am grateful for the strong foundation Brown provided and for the mentors and colleagues who continue to inspire my work in this important field.”

Tim Crellin writes: “After nearly 30 years in the ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church, I finally got around to finishing my first novel. The Land of the Living was published in February and shortlisted for an American Fiction Award. I was also a featured author at the Brattleboro Literary Festival in October. More info at timothycrellin.com.” 

Jessica Roeder has been named a 2025 McKnight Writer Fellow.

Kaui Chun DeMarzo writes: “I attended my 40th high school reunion. While there were seven of us from Punahou School in Honolulu who matriculated at Brown in the fall of 1985, there were four of us at our high school reunion: Brent Lee ’93 MD, Christina Ching, Mina Yang, and myself. I snapped a picture of me, Brent, and Christina, along Jared Crean ’13, ’14 MAT. Also, I met up with Adam Frankel at Stanford Law School, where he was attending a directors conference and I was near the area for a nice catch-up.”

Ravi Chandra was the recipient of the 2025 Kun-Po Soo Award for achievement in Asian American psychiatry from the American Psychiatric Association and Association Foundation. The title of his award talk was “The Struggle with the Battleship of Biases is Real: Dark Horses, Black Sheep, Scapegoats, Underdogs, and Claiming Face in the Asian American Psyche.” Contact Ravi at
[email protected].

Phi Pham and Don Swann ’81 proudly celebrated the graduation of their son Ty Pham-Swan ’25 on May 25. Phi writes: “It’s been a blast visiting campus haunts while Ty was at Brown.”

Rebecca Pearlman Sy has two new occupations: retiree and empty nester! After 32 years of teaching high school mathematics, most recently in the Bay Area, she has retired and moved to Olympia, Wash. She will be playing maximum pickleball and doing a lot of exploring with her husband and dog in their Winnebago Travato.

Class Communications Chair Cecilia Francesca Pineda reports: “Brown ’86 is officially on the Road to Reunion. This fall we gathered in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, and Providence for mini-reunions that warmed us up for the big one. Thanks to every classmate who came out, shared stories, and sparked new connections. Now the countdown begins: our 40th Reunion hits College Hill over Memorial Day Weekend 2026. Mark your calendar, watch your inbox for registration details and keep an eye on our class Facebook and Instagram pages for photo recaps from the road. Let’s make the next stop of this journey the biggest celebration yet! See you back on campus.”

Andrew Lorin and Cheryl Malat are filled with pride and joy as they celebrate their son, Spencer Lorin ’25, on his graduation from Brown. They look forward to cheering him on through all the bright milestones that lie ahead. Contact Andrew at [email protected].

Joan MacLeod Heminway became the director of the Clayton Center for Entrepreneurial Law at the University of Tennessee’s Frank Winston College of Law on August 1, 2025—the 25th anniversary of her start date as a law professor. The center focuses on practical legal training for business law students. Its work includes publishing a student-edited business law journal (Transactions, The Tennessee Journal of Business Law), managing a business law curriculum and related concentration program within the J.D. curriculum, supporting experiential learning opportunities for J.D. students, and promoting practical business law scholarship and teaching. Contact Joan at [email protected].

Linda Peters writes: “I’m a Chicago-based writer, where I also work for a nonprofit serving low-income residents on the Northwest Side. My first book, The George Floyd Chronicles: And Other Selected Writings, released on Amazon in paperback on May 16. Hardcover was released later in the week. These provocative writings deal with social injustice, race relations, politics, and deeply personal stories in both poetry and prose. The bulk of the collection is a series of poems written in 2020 in the aftermath of the brutal murder of George Floyd on May 25th that sparked national and international protests. It is a fitting gift as this year marks the fifth anniversary of that tragic and momentous event. I had my first book signing at a local cafe in Chicago on June 1, and on June 12 I was interviewed on a local podcast called “Move Ahead.” I’ve also published a Spanish translation of my book on Kindle, also available on Amazon. And I’m preparing to do a voice-recorded version for Audible Books on Amazon.”

Don Swann and his partner Phi Pham ’87 visited Brown in May to celebrate their son Ty Pham-Swann’s 2025 graduation. Don and Phi live in Tucson, Ariz., and their daughter Inge Pham-Swann (Macalester College 2022) lives in New York City. Don retired in April after more than 32 years as a biologist at Saguaro National Park. He plans to continue working on Sonoran Desert conservation research and restoration, especially related to climate and the saguaro cactus. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

Sarah Rosenthal writes: “I’m excited to share news of my latest book, One Thing Follows Another: Experiments in Dance, Art, and Life through the Lens of Simone Forti and Yvonne Rainer, cowritten with Valerie Witte. It comprises formally inventive, poetic essays that combine investigation of the two groundbreaking choreographers’ work with our own experiences of dance. Collaboratively written footnotes between Rainer and us bring her perspective into the text. It was published March 28, 2025 by Punctum Books.”

Jonathan Phinney writes: “I retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in May after a rewarding federal career in conservation, although not the career that I anticipated when graduating with a history degree. Along the way, I managed to get through a few personal and professional obstacles with my humor and self-esteem intact. I am now happily remarried and have two kids and three steps—all adults, thankfully. For my next career, I will help a friend in his team and leadership training program that revolves around rowing. So I may have come full circle to Brown, where I spent a huge amount of time plowing the Seekonk River in a crew shell. I’ll remain in the D.C. area for the time being and invite others to contact me when in the area or just to reconnect. Ever true!”  Contact Jonathan at [email protected].

Christina Neal writes: “In April, I said goodbye to 42 years as a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) volcanologist. I carry precious memories into retirement including summer field seasons in Alaska; two years as a geoscience advisor at USAID; serving as scientist-in-charge of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and representing HVO as a finalist for the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America award; and leading the USGS Volcano Science Center. I thank inspirational Brown mentors Tim Mutch, Jim Head, Jan Tullis, Barrett Hazeltine, and Giles Milhaven for launching my journey. My partner and I will stay in Alaska for now, splitting time between Anchorage and Homer. We look forward to more time with friends and family, travel and freedom to work on causes dear.” Contact Christina at [email protected].

Allan Chernoff, Steve Vogler, Marshall Jaffe, and Richie Feder hiked through snow, hail, and rain as they experienced the majesty of Rocky Mountain National Park in early June. There were stretches of sunshine too, as they climbed mountains, forded streams, and came face-to-face with moose, elk, and marmots. Contact Allan at [email protected].

Susan B. Squires received her MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts on Jan. 11, 2025, where Robin MacArthur ’00 serves as a faculty member. During the program, author Andrew Greer ’92 generously agreed to be interviewed for Hunger Mountain Review about Less Is Lost, the sequel to his Pulitzer Prize–winning novel Less. Susan welcomes opportunities to collaborate on projects and invites fellow alumni to visit her website, susanbsquires.com.

Nathan A. Bicks, a member of Burch, Porter and Johnson, PLLC in Memphis, Tenn., has been named to the inaugural Forbes Best-in-State Lawyers 2025 list, recognizing his practice in government relations. Contact Nathan at [email protected].

Noel Rubinton Jr. writes: “In May, Princeton University Press published my first book, Looking for a Story: A Complete Guide to the Writings of John McPhee, about the great nonfiction writer. I have been reading and admiring McPhee since I was 14 and the book is part guide and part biography. My goal is to help readers explore his vast work—including much that is little known, such as remarkable stories in Time magazine never before attributed to him. I’ve been on a terrific book tour through the spring and summer, including a wonderful stop at the Brown Bookstore. It has been heartwarming to see so many Brown alums, faculty and staff along the way.”

Lucinda Flowers writes: “During a busy Super Bowl Weekend in New Orleans, it was great to have Chris Berman take the time to join a Brown Club of New Orleans gathering to talk about his years at ESPN. Peter Kovacs ’78 moderated the conversation (see Peter’s note in the Fall ’25 BAM).”

Frank Feldman completed a brand-new album of instrumental music titled Notes from Underground. It is available for streaming and/or purchase at/through all the usual suspects: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, iTunes, etc. It was a labor of love, and the composer very much hopes you will enjoy and even be moved by it.

Class 50th Reunion Cochair Deborah Chick Burke writes: “Planning has begun for our 50th reunion. Since communication about the reunion will be sent via email, we ask that you please make sure that Brown has your correct email on file. We hope to see many classmates return in May 2027.”    

Keith Glassman writes: “My feature documentary film about male contemporary dancers, Lives Beyond Motion, was awarded the Best Feature Documentary at its festival world premiere at Dance Camera West in Hollywood. A decade-long project, it’s now reaching audiences all over the world. I’m not sure when it’ll get to Providence and College Hill, so please pass the word.”

Joe Meis writes: “Members of the Brown Class of 1975 crew, along with several spouses, friends, and assorted hangers-on, returned to campus over Memorial Day weekend to celebrate our 50th reunion. Charles Tansey ’74, in addition to serving as the event instigator, activity coordinator, and general all-around master of ceremonies, graciously hosted us at his home in Bristol, R.I. for a picnic on Saturday afternoon. On Friday, we got together for lunch at India Restaurant on Hope Street, attended the Campus Dance, and spent time wandering around campus reliving old memories. The high point of the weekend was, without a doubt, an alumni row on the Seekonk River Saturday morning (see photo above). Men’s crew head coach Paul Cooke ’89 provided an eight-oar shell for us to use and a coxswain to steer us while assistant coach Rufus Biggs ’19 followed along beside us in the coach’s launch to ensure that none of us fell out of the boat and drowned. Our freshman year coach Albin Moser ’67 even joined us in the boat, rowing in the five seat! Everyone agreed that the weekend was a success and that we should all make plans to get together again soon, hopefully before another 50 years elapse.” 

Ronald Grelsamer writes: “I enjoyed my 50th reunion. The new buildings are fabulous,  but what happened to the Grad Center? It’s in shambles. What used to be white is now a dirty gray. Can some of the building funds not be used for a good powerwash? I’ll be glad to furnish pictures of the Grad Center in 1975.”

Joseph E. Fieschko Jr. writes: “I just returned from my 50th reunion and many thanks to everyone who put together this massive undertaking. It is appreciated. I did not want this milestone to pass without making note of one very important cultural and athletic phenomenon that was unique to the class of 1975. The basketball coach James “Gerry” Alaimo ’58 did something completely revolutionary in Ivy League history in recruiting almost all Black players for our class. Edward “Eddie” Morris, Phillip “Phil” Brown, Lloyd Desvignel, and Vaughn Clark, along with others, played an extremely exciting brand of basketball as they dominated their freshmen season. All of the cheerleaders were also Black, and there were a lot of them. They were a very spirited and disciplined group and made the games a completely unique cultural experience. Eddie Morris and Vaughn Clark roomed next to me and Neil Derechin at Slater Hall freshman year, so we were able to get to know them on a personal level. The core stayed together for the rest of our tenure at Brown and always were taking runs at the Ivy League title and battling Marvin Barnes and Ernie DiGregorio from Providence College in the annual Providence game. Those were heady days and kudos to all of those groundbreaking individuals!  It was unforgettable.”

Dusan Culich and Marianne Michael Culich returned from a Brown Travelers trip to Alaska. They were accompanied by William Frost ’74 and his wife Quiana, Linda Papermaster ’72 and her husband Nahum Gat, and Mark Scott and Diane DiGianfilippo Scott.

Richard Brust writes: “On May 20, I published Chambers v. Florida and the Criminal Justice Revolution. It demonstrates the influence of African American lawyers in early criminal and civil rights cases, as well as the growing public awareness of abuses of power by white sheriffs and law enforcement authorities during this time. It highlights the ever-present need to safeguard protections for minority and impoverished individuals accused of crimes, reminding readers that with perseverance and vigilance, justice can prevail.” 

The Class of 1975 officers report: “We celebrated our 50th reunion in May. Not only was it a significant milestone, it was the first opportunity for our class to come together in 10 years after missing our 45th reunion during Covid. Approximately 250 classmates and 90 guests came together for a weekend of camaraderie, reminiscing, dining, dancing, and celebration. The highlight of the weekend was the march down College Hill on Commencement Day, where we cheered for the new graduates and other alums and they cheered for us.”

Leslie Schover retired from her career in clinical psychology and is enjoying writing fiction. Her first novel will be published in January 2026 by SheWrites Press. Fission: A Novel of Atomic Heartbreak is based on Leslie’s parents’ tales of life in the secret city of Oak Ridge, Tenn., during the Manhattan Project. She was also inspired to write it by revelations that two Soviet atomic spies operated there, working in the same building as her father. Like him, they were both electronics engineers from first-generation immigrant Jewish families. The novel imagines what might have happened if they’d met.

Carl Robbins writes: “In April, I received a significant award from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, the Jerilyn Ross Clinician Advocate Award. It’s a kind of career recognition honor that reads: “To honor the memory and lifework of Jerilyn Ross, ADAA’s cofounder and president from 1985 to 2010, this award acknowledges a professional who exemplifies excellence and outstanding advocacy for patient education and care, training, and research.” I continue to work full-time as a psychotherapist at the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland. I’m a senior clinician, training director, and mentor for this large group practice.”

Steve Cowell writes: “To my friends at Brown: As a ’72 graduate, I have two stories—one sad and one very positive. First is the sad one: I attended a goodbye gathering a year ago of some of us who created the Brown student cooperative housing, or BACH, in 1970. It lasted more than 50 years and unfortunately went under for financial issues. As the founder of BACH (which changed its name to PEACH 5-7 years ago), I was sad to see it end. On the positive side, I attended a presentation by the Brown urban studies program with the medical team about urban impacts on resident health. We then had a gathering of the urban studies members after the event and it was a great feeling to see it continue after we helped it get started in 1971. My great appreciation stands with the leaders in the beginning such as professors Chinitz, Chudacoff, and Vanecko, who helped me get it started with about 15 fellow students using the New Curriculum as a foundation to create a collaborative new curriculum. We move on. Thanks to all, and particularly the new director, Samuel Zipp.”  

Robert Waxler writes: “In 1966, David Beckman and I met at Brown as undergraduates and became good friends, participating in literature discussions as freshmen in our dorm rooms in Mead House, then around the seminar tables of the English honors program and as seniors in a house off-campus on Hope St. After graduation, we both pursued our love of literature and language. I became an English professor at UMass Dartmouth; David became a commercial writer in New York City as well as a poet and playwright. For the next 60 years we had little direct contact with each other,  but our friendship, sealed at Brown through those memorable discussions, was not forgotten. As good fortune might have it, we recently rekindled that friendship through an extensive exchange of letters (as we call them), email discussions ranging from our views of Shakespeare to the Romantic poets, Greek culture to contemporary American fiction, to language and life itself. Eventually, those letters became our new book, published by Rivertowns Books at the beginning of August. Readers of early drafts of the book have commented on the way our discussions often weave our personal joy and friendship together with significant commentary and insights about literature and language. No doubt our experience at Brown is in many ways the foundation for the book itself, and I want to thank the Brown community for the wonderful gift they have granted us.”

David Beckman, along with classmate Robert Waxler, cowrote You Say, I Say: Staying Alive with Literature, Language and Friendship. “Our book has its origins at Brown, where, as undergraduates, we became friends and colleagues, began our lifelong love of literature, and even published a poetry chapbook. Only in recent years have we reconnected to write this book—part joint memoir, part three-year rumination on the huge role that language and literature has played in our very different writing and professional lives.”

Ward Thompson writes from the Sierra foothills of Northern California. After years of participating in local governance, he and Diana are transitioning into their “bonus retirement phase” with emphasis on grandparenthood, not-so-active gardening, and annual visits to his native New Hampshire, where he recently enjoyed lunch with Bob Tortolani. Ward continues his stellar thespian pursuits begun in Sock & Buskin’s Blood Wedding as third woodsman and continuing last year in Death by Design, where he played “The Body.”

Marty Lawyer is currently living in downtown Dunedin, Fla., where he can walk to church, restaurants, and pubs. He can also jog and bicycle on the Pinellas Trail. He enjoys time with his sons, who live in nearby Tampa. All three love soccer and the Green Bay Packers.

Evan Gost retired after piloting for the U.S. Navy and Delta and is an active volunteer in California. Among his many commitments is an organization that supports a Marine battalion that had a difficult deployment to Afghanistan—25 were killed in action and more than 150 were wounded (80 became  amputees). He reports that he has had the honor and privilege of comforting Gold Star families and assisting wounded veterans. He also assists and runs in Memorial Day races that honor and include amputees.

George McCully writes: “I published a short (116 page) book, Christianity Then and Now: Can It Be Saved? Christianity today is generally acknowledged to be in possibly terminal decline. Whereas twentieth-century church membership was stable at about 69% of American adults, in the past 25 years median congregation size has dropped from 137 to 65; 100,000 churches are now expected to close soon. But in 2023, the Pew Research Center reported that a closely equivalent number, 62%, call themselves “Christian,” whatever that may mean. What may have happened is not necessarily a decline of spirituality or religiosity but a simple flight from Christian churches. This book has two purposes: first, to define Christianity correctly, anchored in a new textual analysis of John’s Gospel and later authorities; and second, to suggest a number of fundamental adaptations traditional Christianity must now make to reverse the trend and gain viability today. 

Personal news: I have been twice married and have four children and three grandchildren. Between the two, I was for 10 years the single father of two boys. I am now semi-retired and living in South Deerfield, Massachusetts. Health is excellent and finally after 20 years of commuting from Boston, I am joined by Barbara Ardan, a former professor of painting in Oneonta, New York. Most of my time now is spent writing, gardening, and working out at the local Y.” Contact George at [email protected]. 

Marilyn Carlson Simon and William Simon celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary with family and friends on May 28. They reside in Pomperaug Woods in Southbury, Conn.

Al Gerstein writes: “The mailbox for the class of ’54 has been rather barren these past months. So I thought: ‘Why not submit some of my meanderings?’ Naomi and I are doing remarkably well for people our age (me 93 and she 83). We both still drive and go for daily walks of one to two miles plus (plus for her). Our social life with close friends continues to get winnowed down by the Grim Reaper, who stands in our not-too-distant future. New friends tend to be younger and our time with them is spent in sedentary pursuits. We continue to spend the winter months in our condo on Longboat Key and enjoy beach walking, continuing education classes, Gulf swimming, and going to an excellent gym four floors down from our apartment. No more trips to Europe or summering in Maine. (It’s just taking too much out of me. Aging has sapped my resilience.) 

Two adult grandchildren live nearby and enrich our lives sharing their interests and activities. Two others, ages three and ten, live in Madison, Wisconsin with their two alumni parents, Hilary Gerstein ’03 and Martin Lichtman ’01. Our traveling now focuses on flying to share significant events in their lives. We’re planning to downsize and move to a continuing care facility next year and have already started the process of winnowing down those things which we’ve been accumulating over these past 48 years in this one house. I’ve gotten rid of 15 boxes of books and it has barely dented the pile. I dread how it will proceed once we are under any time pressure. What will I do with my Yankee whaling memorabilia—a harpoon, lance, and gaff hook? Also, my collection of operas on 45 rpm records (haven’t been played since 1970). Time will tell. 

Oh, one last thing—Gordon Webster, a fellow classmate, has moved into the same continuing care facility. We barely crossed paths when we were classmates. But who knows? There may be the opportunity for both of us to further enrich our lives. I also received a certificate of appreciation in February 2025 from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Dept. of State, for my service as a final Volunteer Evaluator for the Department of State’s Youth Program. I have read applications for over a decade from students, primarily from Eastern European countries. As many as 45,000 applications from students from about 16 to 21 years of age are submitted to overseas offices annually and are pared down to about 1,200 in the United States. Students are assigned to American families throughout the country and attend local schools among students in their age bracket. There is a high degree of success among the students, with many following a professional career track in their countries in politics, medicine, education, and business.”

Lawrence Lundgren writes: “I am halfway to becoming 94 years old and am enjoying every day of my life here in Sweden, especially because we have a home service system that provides employees to come to me three days a week to place grocery orders, walk with me, and discuss their history in their home countries, their life here, and hopes for the future in the home countries. My favorites are the Middle East, Northern Africa, and South America. My family in Sweden consists of Ann and Annika. My two most important professors at Brown were Alonzo Quinn (geology) and Arlan Coolidge (music).” Contact Lawrence at
[email protected]. 

Lena Sisco ’97 AM published her fourth book, The 13 Power Moves of Dark Psychology: Learn the Tricks to Protect Yourself From Abuse and Covertly Influence Anyone.

Lance Newman ’93 AM, ’98 PhD published a new book of poems, Proverbs of Earth, with Spuyten Duyvil Publishing on January 29, 2025.

Jeffery Lesser ’82 AM, ’84 PhD writes: “I am pleased to report that my newest book, Living and Dying in São Paulo, was published by Duke University Press in April 2025 in English, and by Editora UNESP in June 2025 in Portuguese. An Andrew Mellon Foundation award has allowed open access versions in both languages. The book asks why bad health—from violence to respiratory disease, from malaria to dengue—is dispersed unevenly across different social and national groups. To answer the questions, I focus on the Bom Retiro neighborhood to examine the competing visions of well-being in Brazil among racialized immigrants, policymakers, and health officials.”

Gary Kulik ’80 PhD published Conscientious Objectors at War: The Vietnam War’s Forgotten Medics, in April with Texas Tech University Press. This is the newest installation of Gary’s Peace and Conflict series.

Whitney White ’15 MFA is an actor, musician, writer for theater and television (the Amazon series “I’m a Virgo”), and now an in-demand stage director. This past spring, she directed the ensemble drama Liberation off Broadway, then The Last Five Years on Broadway. Her current projects are all about ambitious women. “I’m weirdly one of them,” she said. 

Silvia Giorguli Saucedo ’04 PhD is president of El Colegio de Mexico (Mexico’s most prestigious university) and a recipient of the Horace Mann Award. Silvia was inducted into El Colegio Nacional en Mexico, which is the most prestigious and selective scholarly body in Mexico. The Colegio Nacional has 40 lifetime members and Silvia is the tenth woman to be inducted into it in the last 82 years.

As the 2025 winner of a New York Times essay contest, history concentrator Sofia Barnett ’25 spent two weeks on a global voyage alongside Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and international reporter Nick Kristof reporting on the humanitarian consequences of the cuts to USAID.  

Courtney Naliboff writes: “In June 2024, the book I coauthored, Your Postpartum Body: The Complete Guide to Healing After Pregnancy (Avery) was released. Language about women and pregnant people is being scrubbed from scientific literature, and one in five postpartum people experience a mental health crisis. The book is a beacon of hope. It illuminates the most current, research-backed, and expert-opinion information about the changes people experience to their bodies and minds during pregnancy, and a clear path towards healing and improving function and feeling. Since its release, the book has been featured in publications like Bay Windows. My coauthor and I have appeared on several podcasts, including Minimalist Moms and Private Parts Unknown.”

Anna Friedlaender Matvija writes: “Since graduating, my musical journey has led me to explore the boundaries of the human voice, embracing extended vocal techniques and establishing myself as a vocal performer under the name Annabelle Plum. I was thrilled to return to the United States to premiere 4711—Intercourse of Ghosts, a contemporary opera by Hiroya Miura, on March 29 at the Bohemian National Hall, home to the Czech Center New York. This multilingual opera reimagines the profound correspondence between Franz Kafka and Milena Jesenská, delving into themes of isolation, identity, and self-expression in post-WWI Europe. I performed alongside two phenomenal musicians, Hidejiro Honjoh and Akihito Obama, to bring this deeply evocative work to life. The evening also featured the premiere of a song cycle by Carl Bettendorf.”

Katie Hunt founded Oh Norman!, a better-for-all dog company, with actress Kaley Cuoco. The company received an investment from Mars Petcare and Michelson Found Animals, was chosen as a startup by Leap Venture Studio, and has been featured in Forbes, People, The Hollywood Reporter and many more publications. Contact Katie at [email protected].

Rehan Abeyratne published Courts and LGBTQ+ Rights in an Age of Judicial Retrenchment with Oxford University Press on Mar. 19. 

Nina Mongendre writes: “I hope this message finds you well. My first book, Reclaiming Your Inner Child, was published on June 10 by Hay House LLC. I also created an oracle deck alongside it, which was released March 11. Both can be found on the Penguin Random House website under my name, and the self-published version of the oracle deck was featured in the BAM gift guide.” 

Michael Rothman writes “I’d just like to give a shout out to fellow alum Dr. Robert “Bobby” Parisien, who just performed a seamless shoulder arthroscopy on my dominant shoulder. Consider this a general note of appreciation to Bob and to the idea that a relationship that started at The Ratty continues 25 years later on the operating table!” Contact Michael at [email protected].

Lillie Marshall has been enjoying a three-part career in Boston. She’s a school librarian and a Reiki relaxing touch practitioner and teacher at Healing Touch “L” Energy Work (healingtouchl.com). She is also a writer at the following: Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog (aroundtheworldl.com); Drawings Of… (drawingsof.com), a hand-drawn educational cartoon site; Reiki Colors: an Energy Work Insights blog (reikicolors.com); and Teaching Traveling Global Education Community (teachingtraveling.com). She sends warmth and hellos to the Brown community!

Andrew “Andy” Golodny married Julia Arons (Case Western ’08) on Mar. 29 in Washington, D.C. In attendance were many friends from Brown including: Ari Gerstman ’05, Ryan Levesque ’04, Tylene Bautista Levesque ’04, Josh Mandel ’99, Evan Parness ’02, Jeff Saltman ’03, Brian Singer ’04, Stephanie Harris Singer ’04, Cara Zeldis Snyder ’04, Eric Snyder ’04, Josh Troy ’04, and Jaron Zitrin ’04.

Katie Bayerl, author of A Psalm for Lost Girls, has a new YA speculative fiction, What Comes After, that went on sale in April 2025. What Comes After follows Mari, a cynical 16-year-old, who has just 90 days to remember how she died and finally make peace with her mother, or risk spending eternity adrift in a vast nothingness.

Susie Kramer Nadler writes: “I’m publishing a book! I sold my debut young adult novel, Lies We Tell About the Stars, to Andrew Karre at Dutton/Penguin in a two-book deal. The book is set in San Francisco in the aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake. Seventeen-year-old Celeste searches for her best friend and 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. The book is coming out in Spring 2026. Can’t wait to share it with the Brown alumni community and the world!”

Shana Liebman writes: “Although I have been writing/publishing for years, this is my first foray into the cookbook world. After attending culinary school in my late 40s (a payoff of the pandemic) I met Hugh Mangum, a chef who founded the NYC-famous Mighty Quinns BBQ. With his help I wrote a 260+ recipe cookbook about global barbecue, detailing the best grilled and smoked dishes from around the world. The book, Barbecue: Smoked & Grilled Recipes From Across the Globe, was published in May 2025 by Phaidon.”

Sharmila Rao Thakkar writes: “Hard to believe it’s 30 years since graduation! I’ve been lucky to see many while living in Chicago and now back in NYC. Since founding SRT Advising, my independent consulting practice, eight years ago, I’ve worked with foundations, nonprofits, and philanthropic families on giving strategies, multigenerational engagement, cross-border philanthropy, and board governance. This year, I’m launching Starting Your Philanthropic Journey: An Introductory Session for Purpose-Driven Philanthropy. Always happy to connect with fellow alums working in or seeking guidance on philanthropy and social impact—find me on LinkedIn.”

Shani King writes: “I’m currently serving as vice dean, Martha L. Minow Scholar, and professor of law at Rutgers Law School. My third children’s book, Finding Rebecca: The Forgotten Life of Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, was published by Tilbury House in October 2024. This nonfiction picture book introduces young readers to Dr. Rebecca Lee Crumpler, America’s first Black female doctor, whose remarkable life and achievements had largely vanished from historical records. The book aims to shed light on her story and ensure she is remembered. I’m now collaborating with my children on two new projects: a children’s book on Ivy League lacrosse with my son and another on girl empowerment with my daughter. Additionally, I’ve joined the board of the Lacrosse Club of Montclair, deepening my engagement with the sport. In family news, my wife and I cofounded a new law firm, King & Ruiz.” Contact Shani at [email protected] 

Brandon Barnett writes: “After three decades of developing the art and science of corporate strategy in the high-tech industry, I am happy to announce that I have launched a consultancy to elevate all leaders and teams to master strategy. Find out more at TrigateCoaching.com.” Contact Brandon at
[email protected].

The Computer History Museum, the leading institution working to decode technology, announced the appointment of Marc Etkind ’87 as president and chief executive officer. He has an extensive background in science and technology media, most recently as head of communications at NASA, where he led a team of 400 people across 10 centers, with responsibility for news, exhibits, and historical preservation. Prior to his tenure at NASA, he was the general manager of the Science Channel and has held key executive roles at the History and Discovery channels. 

Pamela Gerrol writes: “Another trip to California, this time for the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) conference in March, meant more Brown mini-reunions! I learned how sprawlingly metropolitan Los Angeles really is, but several classmates kindly made their way toward me for some wonderful get-togethers! Alison Canning Davies and her husband Ashley came south from Sunland for a lovely lunch. Andrea Goldman ’88 and I enjoyed catching up over brunch and a nice walk to Venice (Muscle!) Beach. With help from several local classmates on logistics, Tracy Goldstein Shemano, Ken Gerstein, Jenifer Eslami (and her husband Gary Scalabrini), Andrea Feldman Falcione, Peter Landesman, Bruce Evans, Deb Falb and I met up to share stories, laughs, drinks, and dinner one evening in West L.A. Thank you to everyone for making the trek and especially to those who generously provided chauffeur service! I’m sorry I didn’t stay in the area long enough to have arranged another dinner at a location further east—next time! I also appreciated the VIP treatment from Jenifer and Gary during my stay—thank you for everything! It was a treat to meet a fellow Brown alumna at the ACMG meeting itself. Neha Kumar ’08 is also a genetic counselor, one of only a handful of us. We hope to connect with others through the power of BrownConnect+. If you’re a genetic counselor reading this, please check if your alumni profile is up-to-date so we can reach you. Not sure when or where my next trip will be, but I hope this inspires others to arrange class gatherings, too. Your class leaders can help with local communications once you let us know the location. Please reach out if we can assist at [email protected].”

Katherine Oxnard Ellis writes: “I have a collection of short stories, The Leg in Question, coming out in May 2026 from Unsolicited Press, a small, women-owned publisher based in Portland, Oregon. Several of the stories included have already been published, and two have won prizes. ‘Belle of the Ball’ won first place in the 2024 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival Fiction Contest, and ‘Cabin’ won Honorable Mention/2nd Place in december magazine’s 2021 Curt Johnson Prose Awards.”

Lynn Nottage ’86, a playwright, screenwriter, and the first woman in history to win two Pulitzer prizes for drama, has been named an artistic associate of London’s National Theatre. In this position she will work closely with Director and Co-Chief Executive Indhu Rubasingham and Deputy Artistic Director Robert Hastie to support and shape the London National Theatre’s creative vision.

Beth Brent writes: “What fun it was picking apples at the West Virginia USDA farm with a recently graduated group of Brunonians! I continue being grateful to Brown for encouraging what is still for me a life of art, activism, politics, and healing. For you theater lovers, check out the Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF). As a new CATF trustee I am proud to serve their commitment to antiracism and anti-oppression work. For me, it is an extension of four years with Brown’s Racial Awareness Communications Exchange group and working from 1997 to 2015 with Congressman John Lewis, his staff, and the citizens of Selma on the Annual Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimages to Selma. I have a son, Ryan, who is known for his generously contagious laugh, and my tough as nails, fourth-generation bricklayer, union loyalist spouse died in 2021—a loss for many. Keep on keeping on, friends!”

Andrew Lorin and Cheryl Malat are filled with pride and joy as they celebrate their son, Spencer Lorin ’25, on his graduation from Brown. They look forward to cheering him on through all the bright milestones that lie ahead.

Rick Sacra ’84, a family medicine physician at Family Health Center of Worcester, has been honored with the Massachusetts Medical Society’s 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. For years he worked with struggling populations abroad. In 2014, he became the third American healthcare worker to contract Ebola in West Africa. After successful treatment at the National Biocontainment Unit and a long recovery, he returned to Liberia to help the nation recover.

Glenn Coates was honored by the Triangle Business Journal with the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award for Regional Medical Achievements over his 28-year career. An award ceremony was held on April 10 to celebrate his accomplishments at the Healthcare Leadership Awards in Raleigh. Throughout his career, he kept Wake Radiology on the cutting edge of radiology advancements. Some of his notable achievements include modernizing liver MRI, designing all-body MRI protocols that became the regional standard for decades, transitioning musculoskeletal and neurology to modernized fast-scan protocols, and performing the very first contrast magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), cardiac MRI, and 3D magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the region. He was also responsible for overseeing the expansion of MRI services from one outpatient magnet to more than eight fixed and mobile magnets, developing Wake Radiology’s breast MRI program, and assisting in creating Cardiac/Coronary computed tomography angiography services, and served as the director and administrator of Raleigh MRI Center for 28 years. Contact Glenn at [email protected].

David Neiman writes: “After a career as both a musician and software engineer (at Harvard–sorry!), I retired from software a couple of years ago. I’m back to playing music full-time, primarily the hammered dulcimer as a former national champion, as well as mandolin, guitar, and bass. I performed and taught the dulcimer in Japan for the first time in 20 years, where I spent a significant amount of time throughout the 1990s. While at Brown I was in a bluegrass band with Scott Elder ’82, Dan Ernsberger, Mark Rast ’82, and Don Wilcoxon, and a few others whose names I cannot remember. I would love to hear from any former bandmates.” Contact David at [email protected].

Patricia McCartney O’Connor writes: “Having moved around a bit in the course of a successful legal then consulting career, and raising three kids, my husband and I are now happily retired. We live on a magical farm property we call Kite Hill Farm, located in southern Maine. We live with two wonderful dogs and a flock of chickens in a very old restored farmhouse (1700s) and get to see a lot of our three kids, their spouses, and five granddaughters. I’m currently writing the story of ‘How my heart found a home on the farm at Kite Hill,’ and would be happy to connect with others in Maine.”

Barry Jacobs writes: “My fourth book, The AARP Caregiver Answer Book, cowritten with my wife, Julia Mayer, is scheduled to be published in July 2025 by Guilford Books. It is the culmination of a nearly 40-year focus on providing care as a clinical psychologist for older adults with serious and chronic illness and their family members, typically sandwich generation caregivers who are struggling to do right by their parents while also managing their own childcare and career responsibilities. My passion for this work stems from my father’s death from brain cancer when I was 15. While I hadn’t quite figured it out during my years at Brown in the late-’70s, that loss has shaped the rest of my life.”

Ellen Raim writes: “It’s taken over 40 years, but I finally have something to add to our class notes. After years practicing employment law and running HR departments at several companies, I pivoted. Now my focus is guiding early career professionals through the complexities of their first jobs. I published a book in January 2025 called Play the Game: Insider Strategies to Thrive in Your Early Career Without Compromising Ambition, Values, or Wellbeing. It’s a guide for Gen Z employees to understand their (mostly) Gen X leaders and the unwritten rules of corporate life. Imagine a cheat sheet for all the things we had to learn by trial and error. It was lots of fun to write and hopefully it will be of help.” Contact Ellen at [email protected]. 

Peter Kovacs writes: “Chris Berman ’77 was in town for the Super Bowl and was kind enough to visit with the Brown Club of New Orleans. I coaxed Berman to speak to local alums at the Garden District home of Anne and Jack Carrere ’06. The gathering drew a crowd of about 50—a big turnout in a community where Brown grads are scarce on the ground—including Louisianians and fans who flew in for the big game.”

Andy Levine writes: “For a mini-reunion in March, Evan Tobin hosted a ski trip in Salt Lake City with Randy Wingate, Fred Schwarzmann Jr., and myself. There was a blizzard of champagne powder snow (‘the gift that keeps on giving’) and we all committed to attend our 50th class reunion next year.”

Tim Smith has produced The Calling: A Medical School Journey, which was broadcast on PBS in March. According to the Wall Street Journal, “The Calling is nonfiction, no-frills, and nothing less than inspiring. It follows a group of students at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine who may not represent the entire future of American medicine, but are devoted and grateful. And their happiness is contagious.” 

David McConnaughey writes: “An intrepid group of Brown alumni, friends, and family joined a Brown Travelers February 2025 trip to Egypt and Jordan. From a group of six first visiting Alexander the Great’s Alexandria, we expanded to an easygoing 22 who became immersed in the history and culture of ancient treasures and timeless wonders. We scrambled the great pyramids and consulted with the still mysterious Great Sphinx. An afternoon in the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum, its own marvel, could easily have taken days. On a visit to the Village of Sakkara, we saw step pyramids that date back more than 4,600 years. We toured in reverence the grandeur and magnificence of Karnak Temple and the Luxor complex, spanning 200 acres, featuring towering obelisks, massive statues, and the Avenue of Sphinxes. We ventured to the hallowed Valley of the Kings, where a new tomb discovery was just announced. Next came sailing up the Nile by small private dahabiya making stops at important sites—Edfu, Kom Ombo, the temple of Philae, and current active digs on Elephantine Island. Finally, we flew down Lake Nasser to the awe-inspiring Abu Simbel where the remarkable story and scale of rescue by UNESCO from modern day dam flooding became all the more amazing. A group of seven went on to Jordan. There we visited Roman ruins in Amman, and Jeresh, the City of 1,000 Pillars. From the top of Mount Nebo we looked out across the Holy Land to the Dead Sea, the city of Jericho and the distant hills of Jerusalem. On to the city of Petra, hiking through twisting canyons to the famous three-story, red-rock carved Treasury. We also visited an extensive Brown archaeological excavation. Traveling on to the Dead Sea, 1,400 feet below sea level, we floated in its warm, supremely salty, soothing waters. Several of us visited the Jordan River baptism site of Jesus of Nazareth and a calm Jordan/Israel border. A remarkable trip exhausting the superlatives of our Brown-educated vocabularies. Traveling with a group of intellectually curious Brunonians was plenty of fun as we relished learning of Egypt’s and Jordan’s ancient histories and exploring their mystical mysteries.”

Candy Doehlert Lingl writes: “My husband, Jim Lingl, and I were unlucky enough to be caught up in the Mountain Fire in Camarillo last November. Along with more than 100 other homes in the area, ours was destroyed and we lost everything. It was a pretty shocking experience, especially at our age. The wildfire was driven by 70 mph winds and we had only 10 minutes to get out, so we grabbed family photos, meds, computers, and the dog. Awaiting news at the nearby Red Cross shelter, we got a call from our stepson, Jameson, living in Hague (ND), asking if we were okay, as he had just seen our house burning on the news there. And so we learned our house was gone. We are rebuilding and have had wonderful support from friends and strangers alike. There is an amazing network of generous individuals, groups, government agencies, and charities who mobilize on a moment’s notice to help folks in need as we were. We encourage everyone to support those efforts, as you never know when you will need them too.” Contact Candy at [email protected]. 

Retired professor and dean of education at Elon University David Cooper writes: “I am happy to share with you my articles on integration of public schools, The Desegregation Penalty, which is a companion to an earlier piece, Reverse the Curse, both available for reading on the Writing About Our Generation website. Although these stories are historical, I wrote them primarily with a future orientation, addressed to educators and communities who will one day be free from the current distractions swirling around schools, and who are ready to get serious about long overdue racial integration of schools. These articles are offered as a guide for how to do (and not do) integration in a way that provides what we should have been providing all along: high quality education for everybody’s children.”

Mark Halliday ’76 AM published Living Name with Louisiana State University Press. He writes: “It is a collection of my essays on recent American poets. I have also written seven collections of my own poems. I am continuing my career as a distinguished professor of creative writing at Ohio State University. I’m still not ready to retire.”

Jennifer Daley writes: “ I am still practicing medicine in Massachusetts after almost 50 years! I can’t seem to bring myself to retire. I have served as CMO and COO for several academic health centers in Massachusetts and now I mostly consult and serve as an executive coach to up-and-coming physician executives. My family of four children are all thriving, but only one is in healthcare. I’m looking forward to the 55 year reunion next year. All the best!”

Thomas K. Lindsey writes: “I continue my 12 years of research about the Daniel Shays Rebellion (1786-1787). This rebellion in Massachusetts actually spread into other states and the Canadian province of Quebec. My primary question now is why were the participants foolish enough to try a military insurrection? And why did Governor Bowdoin and others let a military insurrection start?”

 Richard Brodsky writes: “As I write this on April 16, 2025, it is unclear what Trump is going to do to Brown. If he wants Brown to do what he asked Harvard to do, I sincerely hope that Brown also stands up to tyranny and refuses to agree to anything that he might insist upon. True, Brown does not have the endowment that Harvard does, but what would be the point of agreeing to the destruction of its very reasons for its existence? I’ll put my money on it—I pledge to give Brown the largest gift I’ve ever made to my school and ask that it be used to fight tyranny. I urge everyone from every class to do the same. It’s the least we can do to help preserve this great institution. I, for one, am ‘Ever True.’”

Joel Bennett writes that a Brown group traveled to the Northern Lights Village in Finland on March 4, 2025.

Class secretaries Kitty Walker Keane and Marty Mueller respectfully make this pitch: “Please make a habit of submitting your news, your kids’ news, your grandkids’ news, reports of get-togethers with other classmates, your travels, and anything else of interest. Your classmates really do want to read what you’re up to these days! It’s safe to say most/all of us are retired now, but have you taken up a side gig in retirement? What about your volunteer activities? We all would like to read about that, too! Nothing is worse than to open a new issue of the BAM, go to the Class Notes section and see nothing there from the class of 1968 (except you-know-what’s). Submit Class Notes to BAM via email at: [email protected]. Note: if you are reading this now it’s safe to say that Brown has your correct snail mail address. But does the alumni system have your current/preferred email address? This address is especially important since, going forward, your class officers will be sharing 100 percent of the information about our 60th Reunion via email. Make very sure your ‘mybrown.edu’ account is up-to-date and doesn’t show a work email address you no longer use. When entering your username and password (if you don’t have one yet, set it up now!) at the myBrown Login and verify your profile, please take a few minutes to visit the brand new BrownConnect+ (BC+), the University’s integrated platform for everything related to alumni: class directory, news, volunteer and mentoring options, events.”

David Gardner writes: “This is my first contribution to class notes since my graduation in 1967, but the timing seems appropriate. After spending 46 years in Richmond, Virginia, my wife, Debra, and I moved to Providence in May 2024—a return ‘home’ approximately 57 years after my Brown graduation. As I approach my 80s, I figured being closer to family is a good idea. My daughter is on the faculty of the Brown medical school so I’m hoping that access to good medical care will not be a problem. More importantly, I can now regularly see my two grandchildren, who attend Classical High School in Providence. While in Richmond, I served on the faculty of the VCU School of Medicine for 40 years, retiring as professor emeritus in the Department of Internal Medicine in 2018. I was what is now referred to as a clinician-educator in the division of endocrinology, and my tenure there was recognized in May 2023 by the creation of the David F. Gardner Professorship in Endocrinology. I volunteered at a free clinic in Richmond called the Health Brigade for 11 years and regularly participated in pop-up free clinics sponsored by the Remote Area Medical organization across the state of Virginia, serving communities with limited access to adequate medical care. I continue to ski and to cycle if the temperature is over 50. My wife and I travel regularly with most recent trips being a two-week visit to Iceland, a cycling trip in the Dolomite region of Italy, and a visit to Amsterdam before that. A cycling trip to Puglia is coming up. The Caswell/Littlefield crew, about 12 of us, are mourning the loss of one of our group, Andy Razin, who was my freshman year roommate. I’m afraid we are of that age that we have to acknowledge this will be happening with greater frequency. If any classmates are back in the Providence area, I would be happy to get together. Contact me at [email protected].”

Jon Cole and Greg Fritz have been fly-fishing and/or bird hunting together for more than 50 years and are still at it, sometimes with decent success as documented in the photo taken on the Missouri River in MT last summer. Meredith Cole Shaughnessy ’94 and Mark Shaughnessy ’94 rounded out that trip. In March, they had a memorable dinner in Palm Beach that also included Bob Clark and their respective spouses: Pat Cole, Nancy Fritz, and Toni Allen.

Jeremy “Remy” Zimmermann writes that he retired after 44 years as a trial lawyer and then taught products liability law for 10 years at Quinnipiac University Law School. He is now retired again and enjoying tennis, pickleball, and swimming. In addition, he acts as a “standardized patient” for the medical, nursing, and physical therapy students at Quinnipiac University, the University of Bridgeport, and Southern Connecticut State University. He acts out a script, rates student performance, and provides feedback after an examination. Sounds interesting.

Raoul Smith ’64 AM, ’68 PhD reports that he put his knowledge of Russian, learned at Brown and in the Air Force, to use building intelligence interfaces to databases. These became cores to AI systems developed during the mid-’70s. He wrote Collins Dictionary of Artificial Intelligence, which he published in 1990, one of five books and more than 70 articles merging computers and the humanities. In retirement, he translates the Old Church Slavonic texts written on the medieval icons in the Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Mass.

David Parent writes: “We are at the stage in life when we are starting to say goodbye. And so in November of 2024, we said goodbye to my wife Cathy. We were able to test my beliefs about love during one’s eighties. I had previously mentioned that the appropriate analogy was not the afterglow of a fire but rather was the anthracite-fired steam boiler. The fact that one of the spouses passes does not diminish the intensity at all! The love still continues. I am still busy with the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Rotary, the Republican Town Committee, my condominium board, my little business, and just running my condominium apartment. I am convinced that my laundry basket grows clothes for me to wash and iron. I am looking forward to our class reunion next year and only have to purchase my class tie to be prepared. Brown had always prided itself on teaching everything from a historical perspective. We are part of that history. I hope you will come.”

Joan Hoost McMaster writes: “All of us are saddened by the sudden death of our co-president Bill Brisk. Bill led a wonderful and fulfilling life with great service to Brown and we will miss him. Paul Choquette gave a stirring tribute to Bill at our Saturday luncheon. “It was a glorious reunion weekend on College Hill. Jane Doane Anderson and I as class marshals marched with Barbara and Ed Nicholson, who carried our class banner to wonderful cheers from faculty, staff, alumni/ae and students alike. It was a thrilling experience!”

Carolyn Nygren Curran writes: “Still hanging in there—like most of us superannuated types. One of my pieces was in Philadelphia Clay Studios’s ‘Small Favors’ exhibit from April 10 to June 29, and I will get back to raku guild firing sessions at a local art center. A demo on the potter’s wheel is coming up to help publicize an upcoming charity craft fair here, a couple of committees and field trips and family visits here and there, but clay remains my main interest. Oh yeah, I keep up my French with Simenon and other authors, and I am now learning Italian. Gotta keep those little grey cells active… bad enough I use a walker now due to balance.” Contact Carolyn at [email protected].

George Rollinson writes: “Judy and I have moved from Prestwick Chase retirement community to Home of the Good Shepherd assisted living facility, also in Saratoga Springs, New York. We are enjoying the people, both staff and residents, and the activities. We have fond memories of our 11 years living in Florida as snowbirds. We made the difficult decision to move north to be 1,500 miles closer to our four sons and their families. I had the privilege, with help from Judy, of founding the Brown Club of the Treasure Coast in Vero Beach. We have fond memories of Brown and activities with fellow alums that included fundraising, interviewing Brown applicants, and serving one term as alumni class president. Judy and I have been happily married for 38 years. I am very fortunate. I encourage classmates to send in their class news.” 

Joseph Gerstein writes: “I am the founding president of SMART Recovery [Self-Management Addiction Recovery Training], a mutual aid group program, science-based and secular. I have spent the last 35 years facilitating 4,000 meetings (almost 800 in prisons and jails) and advocating for Multiple Pathways of Recovery. In the span from January through April 2025, there have appeared three articles in the New England Journal of Medicine on various aspects of addictions. Each article recommended SMART Recovery, along with Alcoholics Anonymous, as evidence-based mutual aid resources for people with addictions.” (See the BAM story “12-Step Alternative,” April-May 2024.)

Bud Feuchtwanger is alive and well and living in a retirement community playing golf and tennis. He writes that his brain is, however, not retired. In the past 18 months he has received four U.S. patents, which he is trying to sell. His wife, a psychologist, was run over in Manhattan in 2021, so they moved to mid Long Island, N.Y. Contact Bud at [email protected].

Jean Fletcher writes that on Easter Sunday (Apr. 20), her husband Alan “Al” Fletcher passed away at his assisted living facility in Naples, Fla., from a progressive form of Parkinson’s disease. Al, she wrote, was happy to attend his 65th reunion, where he joined classmates in the procession marching down College Hill. He treasured his days at Brown and proudly wore his Brown sweater, a gift from his daughter that replaced a lost sweater. Al enjoyed sports and often attended football games while he and Jean lived on Cape Cod. Marshall Cohen writes: “For Jean and her family, our deepest sympathy from Al’s classmates.” Jean’s contact information is [email protected]. 

Marshall Cohen writes: “I was a guest on April 22 at Adas Israel Congregation, where the memories of Waitstill and Martha Sharp were honored for their rescue efforts of children during WWII. Remarks were made by their grandson, Artemis Joukowsky III. Artemis’s grandparents were honored at a ceremony in 2006 as the second and third Americans designated as ‘Righteous Among the Nations’ by the Yad Vashem Memorial in Israel. They were then honored with the Congregation’s ‘Garden of the Righteous’ award. Ken Burns’s documentary film, Defying the Nazis: The Sharp’s War, was shown and discussed by Artemis along with personal recollections about the life and times of his grandparents.”

Class Vice President John Seibert writes: “We are all aware that institutions of higher education are under attack. I was pleased to see Dr. Paxson, in association with 200 other college presidents, following Harvard’s lead in pushing back. As an emeritus associate dean of Dartmouth Medical School, I am also pleased that 300-plus Dartmouth alumni have urged the administration to fight for free speech on campuses. We ’54 graduates are all now ‘in the front pew’ and perhaps as the ‘elders’ are in a reasonable position to rally other classes in support of Brown’s administration, faculty, programs, and above all, students. I believe that it could be helpful if we who represent the Class of ’54 met with one another and with someone from the administration to consider what action we might take that would be supportive.”

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.”

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.” 

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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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.”

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.