The Latest News from Your Classmates

November / December 2025

1950s

1952

John Ash IV writes from Chebeague Island, ME, that getting up in the morning is most satisfying. He enjoys woodworking and working with the local fire department. The most impactful thing he learned at Cornell was to “row on—keep going.”

James Clarke writes from Columbia, SC, that he derives the most satisfaction each week from going to the family farm and having family and friends gather for a good time. He continues working on the tree farm, growing and harvesting loblolly pine trees, which also entails clearing roads of fallen debris, as well as having family campouts. He says all his family members are well, with grandchildren busy with travel, and that his granddaughter Alexis Wren heads the Global Learning Program in Costa Rica and is looking for students to study there. She also conducts tours of the country. James recalls “the impact of Professor Fred H. ‘Dusty’ Rhodes, PhD 1914, telling us poor Chem Es that ‘you guys aren’t having enough fun’ while scheduling all-nighters with 21 hours of coursework.”

Carol Singer Greenhaus from Rye, NY, finds satisfaction in being physically active and socializing in her fabulous retirement community, and with seeing her family of three daughters, six grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. She recalls that she loved studying geology at Cornell, and thereafter whenever she and her husband, Edwin ’50, traveled she would read up on the geology of the area, which greatly enhanced their travels.

Evelyn Hoffmann Huffman from Kansas City, MO, writes that she enjoys traveling, gardening, and writing the occasional poem. She thinks retirement is wonderful, going from doing almost nothing to doing absolutely nothing, just looking at the water. At Cornell, she learned to study effectively, to cook well, and, most importantly, “to party well.”

Ann Coffeen Turner ’52 developed a passion for oratorio singing while at Cornell and even had a fling at amateur opera.

Ina Perlstein Loewenberg from Hamden, CT, has long been retired and is living in a new environment with new people and new activities. She enjoys reading and creative writing, poetry, and sharing with others. The most impactful thing she learned at Cornell was to keep learning and “not to use the word ‘impactful.’”

Suzanne Joyce Seeley, in Pittsford, NY, says that she enjoys oil painting and taking classes in the arts. She takes family vacations in Italy and Spain. The importance of an education was the most impactful thing she learned at Cornell.

Stephen Tauber writes from Lexington, MA, that reasonably good health brings him the most satisfaction these days, and that he mounted a long-term exhibit of perfin stamps (stamps with patterns of holes in them) at the Spellman Museum of Stamps & Postal History.

Ann Coffeen Turner writes from Keene, NH, that she enjoys tutoring at home, and is working on developing color-coded phonics guides and other materials on the Teachers Pay Teachers marketplace. Following her husband’s death, she now lives with one of her children and close to the other and two grandchildren. She decided at Cornell that journalism with its deadlines was not for her; but soon she found that tutoring children with dyslexia and inventing teaching materials for them was. She also developed a passion for oratorio singing while at Cornell and even had a fling at amateur opera. ❖ Thomas Cashel, LLB ’56 (email Tom) | Alumni Directory.

---

1953

Bob Neff, JD ’56, shares, “Julie and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on November 23, 2024 with a musical program at our Pinehurst, NC, home. Our son, Will, joined us from Los Angeles, as did members of our Michigan family and about 60 local neighbors.

“We continued our annual late-winter routine of cruising in the vast Pacific Ocean, stopping at many of the French Polynesian islands. Then in June we retreated to bucolic Beaver Island, way out in Lake Michigan, where we have had a remote house since 1948. For the 24th successive year, we participated in a music festival dubbed ‘Baroque on Beaver.’ It draws more than 2,000 music lovers and scores of stellar performers.

“And so, my 95th year proceeds without complaints and with heartfelt thanks to all who make an old fellow feel welcome.” Please take a moment to let us know how you’re planning to spend the holidays! ❖ Class of 1953 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1954

Just as I was concerned that we had no news or views to share in this column, some of our classmates rescued us by sending in the Share Your News forms—and our wonderful support in the alumni office forwarded them on to me. No doubt you have noticed that our 1954 column gradually has moved very close to the beginning of the Class Notes. With your help, we’ll be able to continue awhile longer.

Diane Peterson Kissell, from Virginia, says she enjoys “lunch with a friend, visits from my daughter, a good game of bridge, classical music, and the quiet to enjoy it.” The most impactful thing she learned at Cornell: “How big and complex our world is.”

Jane Gregory Wilson writes from Florida that she is enjoying life. “I’m not working. I live in a retirement community with many activities. I play a lot of bridge and cards.” When she wrote, she was about to head north for several months to visit family in D.C. and North Carolina. The most impactful thing she learned at Cornell: “To become independent.” We remember her husband and our active classmate, Lynn, who died several years ago.

Also from Florida comes news of several classmates, thanks to Louise Schaefer Dailey. “Sunny Sarasota is home to a cluster of ’54 classmates: Annadele Ferguson Jackson, Polly Hospital Flansburgh, Eloise Mix Unbekant, and me. We get together occasionally for lunch and laugh about the good old days. Polly, Eloise, and Annadele live in retirement communities. My son and his family live with me. Lots of pros and cons both ways: is it better to live with people your own age who share the times of your life or to have the stimulation and chaos of young minds and activities? What say you?

“I am lucky to be able to travel and have enjoyed spending time with my sister, who lives in Southern Illinois. We don’t see each other regularly but are both widowed so now take a trip together each year. Last August we spent some time in Seattle and cruised the San Juan Islands. This year we will cruise the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City out around the Gaspé Peninsula and Nova Scotia, finishing in Portland, ME. This trip is in October, so I’m anticipating some nippy weather.”

I really loved doing cartooning as art editor of the Cornell Widow, our humor magazine.

Bill Webber ’54, MD ’60

Norma Nurkin Schechner, BS HE ’53, lives in New Jersey so gets some chilly weather right at home. Bringing her satisfaction is “seeing my family grow. I am still maintaining two homes, which takes a lot of time (editor’s note: and a lot of energy, I’d think). I’m active in my synagogue and community, and I play bridge, mahjong, and canasta.” Norma says it’s shocking to see her children retire. (I identify with that.) She also shares that she loves her great-grandchildren (a sentiment we all share, when we are fortunate to have them).

Joanne Wilson Wietgrefe shares the unfortunate news that she recently broke her leg. “In better news,” she adds, “I have new twin great-grandsons!” She has also been leading poetry and memoir writing in her retirement community. We wish you a speedy recovery, Joanne!

In New York, William Kaplan feels awe as he is “watching evolution producing change without satisfaction. I’m mostly making donations. My simple investments have grown more than I expected or need, so I am supporting liberal causes. My parents died 30 years ago, my wife five years ago, and my younger brother last week. All lived long, fruitful lives. I get the last word.” William recalls Cornell in the ’50s.

And we heard from another William, Bill Webber, MD ’60, from Arizona. He’s happy to “still be upright, desert gardening, cycling, reading, walking, watching University of Arizona basketball and football, and keeping in touch with my kids and their families.” Apparently he’s able to do all of the above at least partly because of “lots of doctor visits, physical therapy, stretch class, cycling, and power walks.” An MD himself, Bill wrote he was then “recovering from a total hip replacement, probably a result of riding over 35,000 miles on my bike in the last 20 years.” He values learning at Cornell “to work my butt off, which eventually paid off.” He’s glad he took time to do sports (football and track). He “really loved doing cartooning as art editor of the Cornell Widow, our humor magazine.”

If you’ve enjoyed reading this column, please help us create the next one. Send us some news or thoughts or memories from our years on the Hill. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey (email Ruth) | Bill Waters, MBA ’55 (email Bill) | Class website | Alumni Directory.

---

1955

Charlotte Bialo Picot has been writing her memoir. She shares, “My daughter Leslie Zane published her book, The Power of Instinct, in 2024.”

According to the book’s description, “Award-winning Fortune 500 brand consultant and behavioral expert Leslie Zane shatters conventional marketing wisdom, showing readers how to tap into the hidden brain where instinct prevails, creating a powerful network of connections that drive people to buy your product, company, or vision. People don’t make decisions with their conscious mind, but on instinct.” ❖ Class of 1955 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1956

Carole Rapp Thompson shares, “The Statler is waiting to welcome the Super Class of ’56 to our 70th Reunion next June. The first mailing is out. Planning has begun. Volunteers are welcome. Contact me.” You can email Carole here!

Marjorie Lowenthal Glazer moved to Savannah, GA, on August 1, and shares that she is greatly enjoying family and travel. On the Hill, she appreciated “taking advantage of all opportunities available, both at Cornell and in life.”

Lenore Brotman Greenstein writes, “My years at Cornell have informed all of my life’s choices! I was married to Howard ’57 for 49 years, before he passed in 2006. I have been a food scientist, food writer, and editor, even in my retirement. I am grateful to reach my 90th year.”

Ronald Carpenter is volunteering at a local children’s rehab center and partaking in social activities at his retirement facility. He has also been connecting with the Armstrong group and other Korean War veterans. Ronald reports the birth of a second grandchild, family gatherings, weddings of grandchildren, and a visit to a horse farm. “Classmates are always close at heart,” he writes. ❖ Class of 1956 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1957

OK, class, how many of you attended Freshman Camp? If you did, you may remember our first experience listening to Ellen Stekert. Ellen brought her guitar to camp and to Cornell and was voted in as our women’s class president our freshman year. Little did we know that Ellen had already cut her first record in Greenwich Village before she even began her studies on the Hill. She had contracted polio when she was 13 and, as she was rehabilitating, taught herself to sing and to play guitar. That is also when her deep connection to folk songs began. She became a student instructor in Prof. Harold Thompson’s American folk literature course, also known as “Romp-n-Stomp.”

After graduating from Cornell, Ellen earned an MA in folklore and anthropology from Indiana University, followed by a PhD in folklore from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965. She was an English professor at Wayne State from 1963–72. Her academic career continued at the University of Minnesota from 1973–2000, when she retired as an emerita professor. She remains living in the Minneapolis area.

Ellen’s work continues, as she releases many of her archival recordings to the public. In March 2025 she released a new single, “High Floods & Low Waters,” a long-lost Woody Guthrie song. This song was originally recorded in 1959 on the CBS television program “Camera Three.” Ellen sang the solo verses, with a group of folk luminaries singing the refrain. Woody Guthrie had written the song in the 1940s, which addressed the devastating droughts and water shortages affecting New York City at that time. The song was never published until now and can be heard on Ellen’s website.

The CBS program itself can now be found on Bandcamp. Ellen said, “I didn’t write songs; I gave them another kind of life so that they would communicate with someone else. The song will talk for itself, but I can give it another life.” Ellen’s latest recordings have benefitted from cutting-edge AI technology as vocal and guitar strands can be separated and remixed for rebalance and clarity. Much more can be found on Ellen’s website, including a Pete Seeger concert at Willard Straight Hall on May 16, 1957. It was a joy to listen to it as I was writing this.

In March 2025, Ellen Stekert ’57 released a new single, ‘High Floods & Low Waters,’ a long-lost Woody Guthrie song.

Gil Riley, BME ’59, wrote from Maine that he and wife Betsy totally downsized a year ago and moved into an assisted living facility. He said it was a huge shift, but the time was right, as both he and Betsy had become a bit disabled in different ways. As many have found out, practically everything is provided or done for them. No longer having a way to travel on their own, their children do visit them. A real treat was when one of their granddaughters, with her husband, brought their first great-grandchild, a 7-week-old sweetheart, all the way from Austin, TX, to meet them.

LTC (Ret.) David Grant tells us he stays busy at his home in Vermont by taking care of his property. His wife is deceased, yet he has the company of his dog and his two cats. His pets and his son and his son’s family give him much to enjoy. His favorite memory of Cornell was being a Kappa Sigma brother and the fraternity treasurer. Philip Marsh of Red Hook, NY, got right to the point. He reports his most satisfying experience each day is his martini (extra dry)!

Along that same line, Charles La Forge, a resident of Palm City, FL, designated “cocktail hour” as most satisfying. He and spouse Ann also enjoy word games, Sudoku, and poker. He has us all beat: many of us are just now celebrating our 90th, but he had his family visit him as he celebrated his 95th! Charles continues to maintain contact with his fellow Hotelies who provided opportunities to expand their small hotel chain.

Jim Rosborough and wife Naomi have called Houston, TX, home for many decades. Jim’s career started with Shell as he added an MBA from Drexel to his credentials. He became athletically active when they moved to Houston. He became a scuba instructor and would take group tours on diving trips into the Caribbean. In retirement, he continues racing in swimming competitions and in sprint triathlons. He also mentors high school boys as part of the Boys to Men organization. Travels have taken Jim and Naomi from Houston to New York City and to Europe. He says his leadership skills were developed at Cornell when he was a coxswain on the crew.

Marvin Silverman was a classmate with Charles La Forge in the Hotel School. After our Cornell graduation, Marv started in that field. Fifteen years later, he found himself working in California, hating what he was doing. By taking courses days, nights, and summers, he earned his law degree. Soon he developed his own career and became the in-house counsel for a large real estate firm. This became a very satisfying career. Now in retirement in Carmel, CA, he travels, plays golf, and enjoys reading. He is able to be philanthropic. He credits Cornell with giving him the ability to communicate effectively. Marv says his health issues jumped up when he hit 90. His tongue-in-cheek advice: Stay at 89! ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman (email Connie) | Alumni Directory.

---

1958

The end-of-the-year column is now at hand, with a number of classmates’ short notes from recent months. Woody Bliss recently moved from Connecticut to North Carolina and “greatly enjoys life these days, especially watching grandchildren grow and play sports.” Woody adds, “Cornell really was important to me and helped me prepare for a wonderful life.”

Louisa Copeland Duemling still lives on her farm in Worton, MD, where, she writes, “I get the most satisfaction these days from my family, my dog, my farm, my animals, a few remaining friends, and reading. I keep pretty close to home, but am going on a Lindblad Arctic trip.” The most impactful thing she learned at Cornell was “how wonderful people are.”

Joyce Halsey Lindley writes that she has been “protesting in D.C., enjoying watching my six grandchildren thrive, playing bridge, reading, and being a news junkie.” Joyce fondly remembers her constitutional law classes, meeting Frances Perkins when she lectured on the Hill, and good professors from her economics courses. Joyce still resides in Rochester, NY.

The Reverend Bob Beringer continues active life at his senior living home in Topsham, ME, where he maintains multiple interactions with his neighbors, leading weekly worship services, singing in the community choir, and chairing the welcoming committee for new members of their assisted living and memory units. Bob recently became a great-grandfather and feels great about that. He says, “Cornell helped me learn to think critically and how to work with others—to negotiate and compromise.”

Irene Rizzi Metzger is a proud great-grandparent, too, of four now. She is still living at her long-term home in East Aurora, NY, where she remains an avid Buffalo Bills supporter, keeps up on the news via the New York Times, and works at keeping healthy. Many of her family, all generations, live nearby, so she gets to see them frequently. Irene feels strongly about how Cornell “supported and strengthened my values of hope, reaching out, and not stereotyping,” for which she is grateful.

I gained a new partner almost two years ago, after my wife of 59 years passed away. Never too late for romance!

Dan Martin ’58

Don Shardlow and his wife, Alice, live just up the road from Ithaca in Trumansburg, where they recently enjoyed a great-granddaughter’s wedding. Don says that they are faithful church attenders, and he adds that “one of the most important values I learned at Cornell was to be attentive to faculty during lectures.”

Bob Mayer of Linwood, NJ, enjoys his retirement, like most of us, with family events and friends, old and new. He says, “I try to keep upright, with golfing and gardening, and continue to make friends with my doctors.” He thanks Cornell for “teaching me how to think.”

Milli Sanchez Arnold writes that she is still playing tennis and golf and is already looking forward to a snowy New England winter for skiing. Milli notes, “Our family has a new musician: grandson Colin, who just graduated from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Also, our son, Doug, has been touring for 20 years with W.A.S.P.—a heavy metal band, like Kiss and others from the ’80s and ’90s, playing mostly in Europe—for which Doug is the lead guitar and living his dream. Our granddaughter, Nikki, is studying rowing at Purdue and is a member of the crew team.”

Dan Martin, still living in Hartsdale, NY, sends the following note: “I am still working part time and on a couple of boards, both business and nonprofit. I’m lucky enough to have my three sons (two of them Cornellians) living nearby, as well as 10 grandkids (ditto). Enjoy travel, reading, swimming, walking, and biking. I gained a new partner almost two years ago, after my wife of 59 years, Barbara (Cyrus) ’60, passed away. Never too late for romance!”

So, good news we have from the above classmates as we sign off for the year. Happy holidays! ❖ Dick Haggard (email Dick) | Barbara Avery, MA ’59 (email Barbara) | Alumni Directory.

---

1959

Continuing our tale of PBKs, Mary Ella Harman Feinleib writes: “I was a junior Phi Beta Kappa, but only because I would drop any course that I wasn’t going to ace. I started and dropped calculus several times, but my real shame was in dropping Max Black’s symbolic logic course—after I got a 14% on the first exam. Well, there was someone who got a 7%. More of a help was my double 99% in elementary German.”

Also recognized for scholastic achievements was Wayne Scoville, inducted into Pi Tau Sigma, the honorary society in mechanical engineering. “I’d forgotten about this, but I’m sure it helped in getting my first job at General Electric.” Wayne recently enjoyed a cruise along the Snake and Columbia rivers. Several other Cornellians were aboard, including John Frank, who remembered Wayne from a lab team … and whom Wayne remembered as “the guy with two first names.”

Another ace at Cornell, in Home Economics (now Human Ecology), was Peggy Flynn Dunlop, MS ’63. For those of you who didn’t read the fine article by Melissa Newcomb about Peggy in Cornellians, here’s a synopsis: As a sophomore, Peggy made a red dress for a pattern-design course, using silk that her father had brought back from a business trip to the Far East. She created the side-slit dress in a Chinese-inspired style, partly in homage to Hong Kong, where she was born to expat parents. Peggy wore it to several parties, and, unlike many of the other clothes she made, never parted with it. Now—68 years later—the dress has made its way back to the Hill to join the Fashion + Textile Collection. “The design showcases an exceptional level of craftsmanship and originality for a student garment,” says collection director Denise Green ’07.

Peggy, who has been sewing since she was 11 years old, is also an avid quilter. After graduating in 1959, she taught high school home economics in Northern California for two years, then returned to Cornell to get a master’s degree. “Soon after my return, I ran into Dave Dunlop, who had stayed on at Cornell and found a job in University Development. When Dave and I became engaged in 1962, my maternal grandmother gave us a gift of a quilt that had been made by my great-great-grandmother in the mid-1800s. It was in pristine condition, as it had never been used on a bed, and was an original design that I have never seen copied because of the difficult piecing. We hung it in our home for many years and I recently gifted it to the Johnson Museum. It was that quilt that shifted my interest from designing and making garments to designing and making quilts.”

Several years ago, Peggy Flynn Dunlop ’59, MS ’63 donated 2,000 bolts of fabric—eight trucks’ worth—to found Ithaca’s Community Quiltmaking Center.

She also became an avid collector of fabric. Over the years, Peggy collected more than 2,000 bolts of fabric! Several years ago, she donated all of it—eight trucks’ worth—to found Ithaca’s Community Quiltmaking Center. In late June, the center celebrated the grand opening of Peggy’s Place in the Triphammer Mall. Reported Zeinab Faraj ’28 in the Ithaca Voice: “Peggy’s Place is a community initiative dedicated to encouraging the reuse of fabric and sewing supplies by making them affordable and accessible to people across the community. Shoppers can purchase items, donate supplies, and learn about quilt making through activities and classes.”

Peggy noted that her original goal was to make a place where people “did not have to make an investment in expensive things” to learn how to quilt. “I loved being surrounded by fabrics and thought that I really want to accumulate as many as I can so that someday I can open this kind of quilting center. The supplies would be available for folks to use and create. It’s wonderful to see the results of what happens when you create access, opportunity, and equity.” And results there are. For example, the Community Quiltmaking Center was asked if they could possibly produce 40 twin-bed-size quilts for a newly opened detox center; more than 60 quilts were made to be donated, many of them by other quilters who heard about the project.

“It was such a pleasure to see Peggy in June, when she stopped over to say hello while I was visiting Bobbie Greig Schneider at Kendal at Ithaca,” says Joan “Jo” Ellis Jones. “Peggy’s life has been and continues to be an inspiration as a special, caring friend to all.” Jo also was a Home Ec student, but she was in institution management/food and nutrition while Peggy was in the textiles and clothing department. “However, we were required to take a certain number of hours in each of the Home Ec departments. Peggy’s red dress was far more complicated and lovely than was my designer blouse!”

Jo has served for 47 years on the Commission on Aging in a different Ithaca—in Michigan. She’s also pleased that she gets to lead a popular exercise class twice a week. “We continue to expand opportunities for our seniors, such as raising funds to build pickleball courts. When I take vacation time, I enjoy being with family and friends. My husband, Fred ‘Shape’ Jones ’57, BS ’59, and I had always made attending our Cornell Reunions a priority; I’ve continued this tradition since his death 20 years ago.” ❖ Jenny Tesar (email Jenny) | Alumni Directory.

---

1960s

1960

Nora Heller Freund gets the most satisfaction these days from reading, knitting, and time spent with her family, including children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. “We now have three great-grandchildren and two more coming!” Nora treasures the friendships she made at Cornell.

Evalyn Edwards Milman is a member of the Johnson Museum of Art education and outreach committee and the New York Philharmonic education committee. “I am enjoying my children and grandchildren and reading books and two newspapers daily, plus 10 online news sources. I’m also serving my Christian Science church in Boston and Darien, CT, and supporting fellowships at Teachers College and Columbia University.”

Evalyn is also enjoying performances at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as the New York Philharmonic. She adds, “My daughter-in-law Dr. Natalie Milman is associate dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University. I never stop learning. Cornell is where I met my husband, Stephen Milman ’58, MBA ’59.”

Nancy Finch Crans (Bigfork, MT) writes, “I’m enjoying my beautiful surroundings, including Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park. I earned a master’s in education from the University of Montana, Missoula, and worked with schools in Flathead County as curriculum director for 21 small districts.” Nancy enjoys travel, attending local events, streaming good content, and watching sports, “especially Big Red lacrosse taking the title!”

I’m enjoying my beautiful surroundings, including Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park.

Nancy Finch Crans ’60

Nancy adds, “Our environment is so rich, offering opportunities in each season to explore, recreate, and just spend quiet time drinking it all in—the Northwest U.S. and Canada are gems!” At Cornell, she learned that “acquired knowledge and experience in that learning environment help shape future choices in your life.”

Susan Wood Brewer is still doing some volunteering for the retirement community where she lives, “but less than in the past, as I have less energy,” she says. “In May 2025, my husband and I took a two-week car trip to attend the Chicago graduation of a granddaughter and the Boston graduation of another the following week. We are proud of their accomplishments and wanted to be there, though traveling is more complicated as we age.”

Walter Williamson writes, “After retirement from law practice in 2017, I entered the Cornell Master Forest Owner program, taking a course at Cornell’s Arnot Forest, and became a certified Cornell Master Forest Owner volunteer. Since then, as a volunteer, I’ve been helping landowners with forested property in Columbia County, where we have a second home in a homeowners association, to understand better how to reach their goals for their forests.”

Walter adds, “I have also been a member of the Town of Ancram Conservation Advisory Council, helping to raise awareness of town residents and local officials of the importance of forest conservation in our town. To better protect the forests, I have generated support among my own neighbors to commit association funds to conserve the health of our own forested property, have obtained a federal grant to support the forest conservation work we’ve undertaken on our property, and have supported the forest and other environmental conservation efforts of the Columbia Land Conservancy.” ❖ Class of 1960 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1961

I am writing this column in August, expecting 95 °F today. By the time you read it, the heat will be gone and the days shorter. Several of our classmates submitted news, starting with a first Class Notes appearance from Robin Bissell. He writes, “My wife, Sandy, and I had a great three-day get-together in NYC this past mid-April, staying and dining (and sipping) at the Cornell Club with three other Phi Gam classmates and their wives, Phil and Jane Hodges, Jack, MBA ’63, and Rilla Neafsey, and John and Marilyn Sobke. Very, very special after all these years! All are still very close friends. Yes, many of the stories told over cocktails and at dinner were repeats from yesteryear—but there were new experiences to share. Sixty-five-plus years of togetherness that are just so very special to all!”

Barbara Cain Parker is living in Burlington, VT. She states the most important thing she learned at Cornell: “That I can, as Ezra Cornell said, learn any subject no matter how old I become!” Her son Hawkeye Parker ’95 is another Cornell legacy. Robert “Tom” Jewett, BS ’65, is keeping active and taking care of rescue horses. Tom lives in Dryden and enjoys working on his farm near the campus. He is a member of the Ithaca Club and stays in touch with his fellow Cornellians and fraternity alumni. “I spent five years in the U.S. Air Force as a staff judge advocate. Returned home to criminal trial practice and retired in 2004 after two terms as Cortland County DA.” His takeaway from the undergrad years? “The grade you get in any given course is directly proportional to the amount of time you spend with the textbook open in front of you. It took me four years to figure that out.”

M. Mehdy Douraghy and wife Leora recently celebrated 66 years of marriage. They live in Chicago and spend time with their family of four children and eight grandchildren. He remains active in collecting and lecturing about Persian rugs. “We’re still traveling and enjoying life.” Old friend and classmate Gerrit White sent a note from The Villages in Florida. “Enjoying an active lifestyle here. Even after reading one of Tiger Woods’s books, my golf game has not improved on any of the 69 courses here. Elizabeth and I have visited more than 90 different countries and hope to add more in the coming years.”

My wife and I had a great three-day get-together in NYC this past mid-April, staying and dining (and sipping) at the Cornell Club with three other Phi Gam classmates and their wives.

Robin Bissell ’61

The following note may strike a chord with many of us. Anne Lasher Mihalsin writes from San Diego: “I have been living in a retirement community, the Glen at Scripps Ranch, for five and a half years. I love it here. I’ve connected with fellow classmate Marge Seybold, who also lives here. She plays basketball and swims laps. I play bridge and poker and do ceramics. Guess who’s in better shape?”

Again, we find family and travel are staples in the lives of our classmates. Barbara Jane Lester Margolin sent a note from her home in Tuckahoe, NY. “I’m spending my days visiting and speaking with my children and family. We travel when we can.” And our former class president Frank Cuzzi, MBA ’64, acknowledged that he is still holding a professor’s chair and writing his next sports book. He also is involved in his expanding family. He closes with a bit of nostalgia reflecting on the leadership experience gained at Cornell in competition with rival fraternities.

Lastly, a note from your Reunion co-chairs. Remember, when you read this column, our 65th Reunion is only seven months away! Co-chairs Rosanna Romanelli Frank and Pat Laux Richards hope your calendar is already marked for June 4–7, 2026, to join our class for our 65th Reunion. Effort is being made to make it special in every way. For starters, we’ll be housed at the Statler, able to enjoy its amenities. Plans for class events are underway. Your attendance will make it complete! To that end, please let us know if you would be willing to contact any affinity groups (i.e., fraternity, sorority, college, etc.). A list of pertinent classmates would be sent to you. Meanwhile, please keep up to date on our class website. Send your class notes to: ❖ Doug Fuss (email Doug) | Susan Williams Stevens (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

---

1962

Don Juran, a composer and music engraver living in Rockville, MD, delightedly reported that he has finally got his website up and running! See it for yourself. A retired computer programmer, he also was a choral singer and occasional bass soloist for nearly a half-century. He retired from choral singing in 2022 to concentrate on composition. Oh, and as an alumni member of the Cornell Glee Club, he is still singing with the group on Cornelliana Night at Reunions!

Cathy Van Buren Bomberger of Dune Acres, IN, is delighted to share exciting news about the publication of daughter Lauren Bomberger Fischer’s first novel, Orphanland (Mission Point Press). A middle-grade mystery that examines the impact of the opioid epidemic on children and the community, it will be published on November 12.

Brad and Lila Fox Olson ’63 have been residents of Villa Gardens, a senior living community in Pasadena, CA, for the past two years, where Brad is active as chair of the activities committee, a member of the budget oversight committee, and co-facilitator of the monthly resident discussions of the Foreign Policy Association’s “Great Decisions” program.

Retired after 55 years, Bob Schmitt, DVM ’69, keeps busy volunteering as a part-time veterinarian! He and his wife, Bette, live in South Deerfield, MA, where they are enjoying their “golden years.”

Faith Miller Roelofs has been a volunteer these past 35+ years at the Highland Hills Center for Natural History, where she is helping to develop an outdoor preschool. This fall, she will be auditing a three-semester course in early childhood education at Yavapai College in Prescott, AZ, where she lives. “As a Cornell undergrad, I learned many things about my narrow field of study. Since then, I have come to deeply appreciate the worldwide scope of Cornell’s wisdom and resources in caring for the health of our planet and its people, while exploring the known universe. Education is never-ending.”

The THEO gallery in Seoul, South Korea, presented a retrospective covering 65 years of works of art by Alice Dalton Brown ’62.

Landscape and wildlife photographer Frances Denn Gallogly and husband Vincent, an avid birder, split their time between homes in Ft. Pierce, FL, and Connecticut.

John, MS ’65, and Janie Curtis completed a “Viking world journey that began in Los Angeles and ended in London, 24 countries and 50 ports of call later! It was wonderful and educational, seeing how interconnected all are in a global neighborhood. In addition, we visited with friends in New Zealand, Sydney, Singapore, and England. It was clearly the trip of a lifetime!” Back home in Rockwall, TX, John serves on a few boards and volunteers as a past district governor in Rotary, using his experience to assist others in carrying out volunteer work.

The THEO gallery in Seoul, South Korea, presented a retrospective covering 65 years of works of art by Alice Dalton Brown from June 15 to September 20, 2025. Alice attended the June opening and returned later in the summer for another visit, and was also interviewed for Korean TV. The exhibition, a series of colorful rooms filled with her work from the early ’80s to the present, included paintings, constructions, moving projections of silhouetted plants, personal photos, and a timeline of her works. “It is interesting to me that the style of exhibition presentation shows a different sensibility from what I am accustomed to seeing in the U.S.,” she noted.

Take a moment, please, to send along news and updates (photos, too) of what’s happening with you and your family. And check out our class website for timelier information. Send your entries to: ❖ Judy Prenske Rich (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.

---

1963

Madeleine Leston Meehan wrote that what brings her satisfaction these days is “the scenic beauty (ocean, sea), friends (fewer), reading (finally have time), music, and living in my two favorite places—the Caribbean and East Hampton, Long Island. An artist never retires. At Cornell, I learned to live, learn (forever), and have gratitude to be alive.”

Joan Travers Barist and her husband, Jeffrey, live in Washington Depot, CT. She wrote in May, “I just returned from a wonderful two-week trip to Egypt with my husband. I enjoy gardening, travel, visiting museums, and seeing friends. At Cornell, I loved being with people from all over the world. The diversity of Cornell was amazing. I grew up in the Bronx, so this was a really new experience back then.”

Bernard and JoAnn Kruger live on Central Park West in New York City. “I continue to work and enjoy my four kids and three grandkids. I do work part time. I got my minute’s worth of fame two years ago when I played Dr. Kruger in Bradley Cooper’s movie Maestro.”

Peter Kolker writes from Washington, DC, “I enjoy traveling with my friend, Katie, sailing, biking, and chamber music. I am reluctantly moving into a retirement community from my place of the past 59 years. I have three kids, all doing well. My four grandchildren are teenagers. The most impactful thing I received from Cornell was a superb education.”

Lucinda Plunkett Rapp lives in Rochester, NY, and enjoys traveling. “I am semi-retired but work about 15 hours a week in nutrition education at a senior center. My grandchildren are growing up, starting careers, and getting married. From Cornell, I learned how to live independently from parents and siblings.”

We graduated from Cornell one day and got married the next.

Lila Fox Olson ’63

Lila Fox Olson writes: “Brad ’62, BS ’63, and I are now living in a seniors apartment complex in Pasadena. We lived in our house in Lake Arrowhead, CA, since Brad retired from Cornell in 2020. But two of the worst winters in 30 years forced us down the mountain and now we are 15 minutes away from both our children’s families. We keep busy in the active community. Brad is chairman of the special activities committee and on several others. I work in the library and am chairman of a book group. Because Brad has some disabilities, including neuropathy, we haven’t been able to travel nearly as much as we would like.”

Lila continues, “Our children are both high school teachers. Laura has taught dance and choreography for 30 years. Eric ’92 is chairman of the English department and teaches at Harvard-Westlake private high school. I love reading about classmates in Cornellians. We cheered on Cornell’s lacrosse team as they won the national championship in the spring. We celebrated our 62nd anniversary in June. We graduated from Cornell one day and got married the next.”

From Ed, MS ’65, and Nancy Taylor Butler ’64: “Nancy and I are OK, which as we all know at our age means we have stuff going on but are keeping it at bay. ‘Stable’ has become my new favorite word. We are still in our house and plan to remain for the foreseeable future. And we still have our place in Ocean City, NJ, where I love to body surf and ride my cruiser bike, the latter now with a helmet since hearing of several people who had very serious head injuries.

“I continue to stay involved with our class council and with our local Cornell Club, where several years ago I led the establishment of a successful scholarship. Nancy also is a member of her class council. We get to Cornell once or twice a year. It’s always great to visit campus, and we now have family living in the area, including granddaughter Corinne ’23 in the Vet college! We also stay in contact with many Cornell friends, both local and non-local.”

Warren Icke ’62 and I celebrated our 62nd anniversary in August. We are continuing to enjoy our new senior living community in Oro Valley, AZ. Send news please! ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke (email Nancy) | Alumni Directory.

---

1964

Thanks to all who heralded our lengthy time doing this column. We plan to keep it going, so please keep your news coming.

Carl Bender and his classmate wife, Jessica (Waldbaum), recently returned from an extremely pleasant two-month visit to London, where Carl gave research colloquia and seminars at the Universities of Manchester and Birmingham and Imperial College London. He reports, “It was wonderful to see our many friends there.” In April, Carl was elected to membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Ken, JD ’71, and Patty Geer Kupchak ’67 report that they’re “still hanging in here. Classmate and fraternity brother Bob Lewin and wife Annie stopped by recently, so we all went out to dinner at Buzz’s in Lanikai. Hadn’t seen him since we were at school.” Ken goes on: “Flew East to Olney, MD, at the end of March to celebrate my sister’s (Bonnie Kupchak Winckler ’67, Patty’s classmate and sorority sister) 80th birthday. Her three sons also joined us, including Tate Winckler ’97. We had a great time!”

Ann Sirrine Rider notes she has “lived 82 of my 83 years within 12 miles of Ithaca. I was one of the founders of the Ithaca Farmers Market and have had many more adventures here in the Finger Lakes.” Ann otherwise “worked for Tompkins County for 30-plus years as a home economist, child protective services worker, and adult protective worker.” Ann notes that, from her home in Enfield, “I continue to volunteer in the community by teaching sewing, and I support the Enfield Community Council in many ways.” Ann also quilts and gardens in the summer, noting that she has “more than 300 differently named daylilies that we see in the fall.”

Elaine Wellman Becker, who lives in Warwick, RI, writes, “I retired in 2012 after working for 27 years as a copy editor for the American Mathematical Society in Providence. My previous profession was teaching at various colleges and universities around the country.” Elaine notes that her son, Lee, is an aeronautical engineer living in California.

Janet Warren Fatherley, who lives in Bradford, VT, retired in 2005 from Dartmouth Medical School and now keeps busy teaching a course in German conversation on Mondays at the nearby Orford (NH) Social Library. She otherwise enjoys cooking and gardening. In 2019, Janet took a Cornell alumni tour to France.

Alfred Anderson, who lives in Lyndhurst, OH, is exercising a rarity: a first-time ever appearance in this column! Alfred is now professor emeritus, since he retired from his position in chemistry at Case Western Reserve University, which included his past and currently published models in electro-chemistry. Alfred otherwise enjoys woodworking and creative writing, “which I enjoyed as an undergraduate student at Cornell.” Alfred also relishes travel tours and visiting his son and his wife in Pittsburgh, where both are practicing physicians.

I was one of the founders of the Ithaca Farmers Market and have had many more adventures here in the Finger Lakes.

Ann Sirrine Rider ’64

Virginia Lange Parsons, who lives in Clifton Park, NY, was last in this column 14 years ago and writes that she still enjoys her house and yard, and volunteering with a neighborhood committee to beautify local entryways. She otherwise regularly visits her sister who lives in Northern Virginia. She also recently toured Portugal, which she termed an “interesting trip.”

Douglas Clark Smith, who lives with wife Kathleen in Aspen Hill, MD, is also making a first-ever appearance in this column, likely because while he matriculated with us, he did not graduate with our class. His lack of a Cornell diploma apparently didn’t do any harm, because he recently retired from a 20-year-long career as vice president of sales and marketing at Velodyne Inc., in Morgan Hill, CA. He catches us up to date: “My wife and I have traveled extensively: the U.K., Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, the Czech Republic, Austria, Portugal, Turkey, Russia, Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, Hungary, and Egypt. Our recent travel took us to England for summer courses at Oxford University, and previously to Egypt. My favorite vacations are at the beach in North Carolina.” The Smiths have four daughters plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Their families are spread out along the East Coast with the exception of the youngest, who Douglas reports lives in nearby Columbia, MD, and so “we work out together a couple of times a week.”

Charlie Wachs, who lives with wife Ela in Franklin, TN, is now retired. Recent travel neatly frames a trip to Aspen, CO, for a daughter’s marriage, and a family sailing cruise from St. Lucia to Grenada.

Harold Evensky, MS ’67, lives in Lubbock, TX, with his wife, Deena. Harold writes that they are “making up for the two and a half years we lost due to COVID. Recent trips include: a Regent cruise from Barcelona to Miami in March 2025, a Canadian train trip in August 2025, Key West in November/December 2025 and again in March 2026, an Alaskan cruise from Vancouver in August 2026, Miami in October 2026, and a cruise from Tokyo to Vancouver in May 2027.”

Steve Lewenberg, who lives in Chilmark, MA, also updates us in detail: “My wife, Liz, and I continue to spend most of the year on Martha’s Vineyard, heading to the mainland only to spend the coldest months in sunny San Diego. As the former commodore of the Cornell Corinthian Yacht Club, I am happy to report that I am about to commence my 72nd sailing season on my Catalina 34, mostly day sailing on Vineyard Sound out of my slip in Menemsha Harbor. I continue my law practice as a labor arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association on a very part-time basis. As my wife, two children, and four grandchildren are all doing very well, I can report that my life is as good as it can get at our advanced age.”

I wish to conclude this column with a personal request: When you fill out and mail in the news form, or otherwise have activities to report, please indicate when you last appeared in the column, so we might determine precedence. Otherwise, that’s all for now. But I could always use more of your news! Update me by email, regular mail, our class website, or our class Facebook page. ❖ Bev Johns Lamont (email Bev) | 720 Chestnut St., Deerfield, IL 60015 | Alumni Directory.

---

1965

Joel Speiser writes: “After a career in broadcast management, I retired in 2008, then spent 10 years teaching driver’s ed as a retirement job. Much more fulfilling than the corporate world!” Joel and his wife, Wendy, enjoy travel, golf, and duplicate bridge.

Graduating from the ILR school led Elliot Polland to his career in law. He is still practicing in New York City. However, he states, “My wife, Diane, and grandchildren bring me the most satisfaction these days.” Elliot and Diane have five children and 12 grandchildren, with a 13th on the way. Clearly his “dance card” is more than filled.

Jim Haldeman is now retired after more than three decades working for Cornell Cooperative Extension and serving as a director of international programs at CALS. He comments: “During my tenure at Cornell, I was afforded many opportunities to travel abroad. Having lived and worked in Africa for five years, travel became a major part of my life, making new lifelong friends, learning from and living in other cultures, and engaging in joint teaching and research endeavors.”

Jim and his wife, Jan, live in an active senior community in Ithaca, where they get together with former Cornell colleagues and new friends for stimulating discussions, fun events, and pickleball. Jim enjoys preparing international cuisine and sharing the creations with family and neighbors. Gardening, hiking, visiting New York State wineries and breweries, and enjoying travel abroad, as well as road trips in the U.S., are all on the calendar for Jim and Jan. They are keen followers of Cornell sports.

After a career in broadcast management, I retired in 2008, then spent 10 years teaching driver’s ed as a retirement job. Much more fulfilling than the corporate world!

Joel Speiser ’65

Jim writes: “My wife and I attended the 58th returned Peace Corps volunteer reunion in 2024 held in Quebec City.” He notes that grandson Alex lives in Paris and completed his second master’s degree. The topic of his dissertation was “A qualitative approach to investigate sport-study programs at Cornell.” Granddaughter Havana lives in Ithaca, and during her gap year she completed a three-month volunteer program at the Horse Rescue program in Tenerife, Canary Islands. She started college in fall 2025.

In response to the question, “What brings you the most satisfaction these days?” Jim states: “What always comes to mind first is the joy of family. In retirement you get to watch and reflect on the things that contributed to your children becoming good citizens locally and globally. In our family, Cornell was and continues to be an important part of how they view the world and how they can make and are making a difference. Over many years, our family hosted international scholars and families. They shared with us their wisdom and culture, planting seeds that influenced the career paths of our children. We are grateful for their influence and the lifelong friendships we continue to nurture. It seems especially significant in today’s environment.”

As your class correspondents for the next five years, Steve Appell and I request: PLEASE take a look at our Class of ’65 website, where you’ll find photos of our 60th Reunion, past Reunions, and other informative class news. Thanks to Steve Hand for his great job in managing the website. We can all be proud of the results and applaud the ongoing donations to our class Reunion legacy, the Class of 1965 Student Mental Health Fund.

Do continue to send your news so that we can pass it along to classmates; folks want to hear what’s new with you/your family. Tell us about trips you’ve taken and Big Red memories that bring a smile or a big laugh, whether you’ve retired, or reached a career milestone, or how your days/weeks are spent. Follow Cornellians and learn the steps Cornell president Michael Kotlikoff and faculty, staff, and we alumni are taking to amplify that Cornell Matters. Send your news to: ❖ Joan Hens Johnson (email Joan) | Stephen Appell (email Stephen) | Alumni Directory.

---

1966

All the Class of 1966 officers send best wishes for a warm and wonderful holiday season! And for a good and healthy 2026 ahead. Keep the old traditions and make some new ones. We hope you are already making plans to join us at our 60th Reunion weekend on the Hill in June!

Lester McCarthy (Ancramdale, NY) retired January 1, 2004. He was co-president of the Notre Dame Club of Mid-Hudson Valley for 15 years, ending December 31, 2024. He raises awareness and funds to defeat ALS in memory of Lowell Smith. The most recent Notre Dame Hudson Valley ALS Walk was October 2025.

From Nancy Hoffman came the news that, “after 23 years as general counsel to CSEA Local 1000 AFSCME, AFL-CIO, I became a full-time arbitrator, which I continue with now—in my 14th year!” Nancy is a board member of the ILR School Dean’s Advisory Board and of ILR’s Scheinman Institute for Conflict Resolution. She spends winter months in Sarasota, FL, and the rest of the year in Albany, NY.

Jonathan Wechsler is a high school teacher in Rhinebeck, NY, and was president of the Hudson Valley Cornell Club from 1987–2004. His grandchildren are “finishing up college and off to jobs—Amherst, Yale, Wisconsin, Hobart.”

Arnie Berger, PhD ’71, wrote from Sammamish, WA, that he is “still chugging away at teaching electrical engineering. The goal is to keep going until I forget Ohm’s law. Since my PhD was in materials science, I never imagined I’d be teaching EE.” He attended his granddaughter’s high school graduation in D.C. and was planning a driving tour of Northern England and Scotland for this past August and September. He will be doing his second sabbatical at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, this winter.

Mary McLean sent a note that she has a new address in San Diego, CA. Brian Boehlecke lives in Chapel Hill, NC, and retired from UNC School of Medicine in 2009 and from drug trial monitoring work in 2015. He continues to teach instrument flying and joined the United Flying Octogenarians when he turned 80 this year. What is something that, in 1966, he never imagined doing? He replies: “Getting old.”

I’m still chugging away at teaching electrical engineering. The goal is to keep going until I forget Ohm’s law.

Arnie Berger ’66, PhD ’71

Suzanne Graybill sent a note in June: “With sadness, I am informing you that my husband, Bryce Graybill, died on April 3, 2024. He contributed to the Monterey Peninsula community through his practice of architecture. Notably, he worked in facilities management at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula during years of extensive design and construction. He also played the same role at the Monterey Bay Aquarium at the end of his career. I miss him every day; his legacy, and the legacy of his education at Cornell, lives on.”

George Stark writes from Houston, TX, that he is retired, and that he’s very interested in the arts and theater, enjoying classical music, contemporary music, and rock ‘n’ roll. He volunteers at the Anti-Defamation League and the Menil Collection museum in Houston. What is he doing now that he never imagined? “Reading Le Figaro newspaper from France daily, in French.” His recent trips included Spain, Italy, Venice, and the Adriatic Coast, and attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, CO. He has two granddaughters in Austin, TX, “whom we visit and try to spoil as much as possible.”

Jerry Bilinski, DVM ’69, sent a warm note of news. “I have coming to the next Reunion on my bucket list! I am still working as an equine veterinarian, having sold my small animal clinic. I have Waldorf Farm, where we have close to 200 horses. We breed and sell the foals. I find myself especially fond of remembering all my Cornell classmates. I guess I just love living in the past! It’s amazing some of the details I remember. Like, in the kitchen at Risley Hall, giving Paula Peterson ’67 extra potatoes. Since I wasn’t quarterback of the football team, that was the only contact that I had with Paula. But hell, I had to get into veterinary college, so had no time for frivolous female interaction! Shucks, who am I kidding? I was so shy I could only stare at the Ostroff twins from afar! I did end up with a lovely wife, two daughters, and five grandkids.”

And a 60th Reunion-year note from Alice Katz Berglas, Mary Jansen Everett, and Jeanne Brown Sander: “Like the Colossus of Rhodes, our six (collective) feet are straddling two ‘homes’ … Thanksgiving, with its festivities of family and friends and the animated conversations that come with the holiday and its gatherings—and Ithaca, with our three desks and computers already filled, as we plan and imagine the festivities of friends and animated conversations and greetings that will be our 60th Reunion weekend on the Hill. June 4–7! (Repeat: June 4–7!)

“It’s the gathering of our ‘other family’: the one the Class of 1966 has become. Thank you to all who have indicated they are already planning/hoping to attend. Thank you for the ideas you have shared. Thank you for volunteering to lend a hand—and for the words of encouragement and appreciation along the way. Lots of C66 happenings throughout our 60th Reunion ‘Year’ too: Sharing your memories of the Straight as it marks its 100th anniversary (!). (Haven’t sent your memory yet? It’s easy! Click here: WSH@100.) New C66 Hidden Jewels webinars along these months too. Our class gift of the Libe Slope ’66 Overlook. And your news—which we all want to read. Be a part of some or of all. Together, it’s us. Join us in Ithaca—it’s our Big Cornell 60th! And having you there would be terrific. (Yes: June 4–7!)”

Please send your news to either of your class correspondents: ❖ Pete Salinger, MBA ’68 (email Pete) | Susan Rockford Bittker (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

---

1967

The news form recently asked, “What was the most impactful thing you learned while at Cornell?” Carol Gips (Mashpee, MA) responded: “I immediately thought of the summers of 1966 and 1967 that I spent in Central America. They were my first travels outside of the U.S., experiencing different cultures, speaking Spanish, and testing the joys and risks of exploration.

“In 1966, I was one of seven students living in a barriada, or shantytown, on the outskirts of Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras. Under the auspices of Cornell United Religious Work, our team taught literacy, organized health clinics, and successfully advocated for sewering. I spent the summer of 1967 in Cuernavaca, an hour south of Mexico City, at a center run by philosopher and theologian Ivan Illich that hosted students and scholars from around the world.

“These summers were lots of fun and lots of learning. I concluded both trips with independent travel. They caused me to see the world from broader perspectives and cemented my commitment to social and political issues, as well as the arts.”

Marty Gold (New York, NY) writes: “Having retired after 33 years as a partner in Sidley Austin, a law firm with 2,300 lawyers, following seven years as director of corporate law for the City of New York (back when Ed Koch was mayor), as well as having taught law in Sydney, Australia, and lectured in New Zealand, I went back to being adjunct professor of law and adjunct professor of architecture at Columbia, which I had begun doing in 1989. All law. But this year I did something completely different. I presented a solo photography show.

“I started taking travel photographs while living in the Gambia between my sophomore and junior years at Cornell. Following Harvard Law and Kennedy School of Government, I had a boondoggle in the form of an around-the-world plane ticket, courtesy of the Ford Foundation, on a grant to write a book on Sri Lanka. Since that adventure, I’ve published 20 articles, drafted five laws enacted in New York State, been elected a fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, and received the Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award.

This year I did something completely different. I presented a solo photography show.

Marty Gold ’67

“I won my first photography award in a New York City Bar Association competition. My first published photograph was of a swan windsurfing across Rainbow Lake in Connecticut on a foam board! The solo exhibit, an honor going to one person a year, was presented in Sarasota, FL, for a week. It reflected my travels to and photography in 113 countries and 50 states, plus a couple of photos taken around Rainbow Lake, a weekend retreat.

“One review of the exhibit estimated that 100 people visited the show each day to see the 30-plus framed photographs and two dozen unframed prints. I’ve always considered myself to be just an amateur photographer, but with this presentation, and the number of pictures that were sold, and the comments received, maybe I’m not an amateur anymore.”

Richard and Janet Ornitz live in Waitsfield, VT. Richard writes: “I continue to serve on the advisory committee to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe in Geneva, Switzerland, and I am privileged to still be chairman of Infralinx Capital Partners, focusing on infrastructure projects. I am active today as an investor and arranger on eight projects in energy transportation and social infrastructure of over $16 billion on four continents.

“We are privileged to have six wonderful grandchildren, from 1 to 29 years old. I enjoy all the news, and hearty regards to all. Son Nicholas ’16 made the Fortune 30 Under 30 with his company servicing contracting companies. Son Erik left Morgan Stanley to help him. Son Darren has two little kids and is a boat captain and recognized photographer. Son Zachary is a firefighter and photographer in Colorado. Cornell gave me skills, knowledge, and confidence, and a pursuit of excellence and innovation.”

Please let us know what you are doing and we’ll include your responses here so classmates will see them. ❖ Richard Hoffman (email Richard) | Alumni Directory.

---

1968

More news to share with our classmates for November! We always want and need more news, so please let us know where you are and what you are doing, or share your reflections on your years at Cornell with our classmates!

Sara Straw Winship writes from Alpharetta, GA, located in the northern part of Fulton County, that she and her husband, Dale, a Georgia Tech graduate, spend their time together in retirement, traveling and sharing good times with close friends. Sara also volunteers at a women’s community group and participates in a book club. Looking back on her years at Cornell, she learned on the Hill to think independently and as objectively as possible.

David Hughes resides in Lancaster, PA. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Tricia, and traveling together, and they enjoy spending time with their sons. David also enjoys his two French bulldogs, Asher and Grace! He retired as an orthopedic surgeon exactly 40 years after he began his career. For David, the most impactful lesson he learned from his time at Cornell was “when honesty and hard work were in play together.”

Jim Gutman continues to live in Maryland. Jim did not stop his formal education after graduating from Cornell, receiving an MBA in finance from Loyola University in Maryland and an MS in journalism from Northwestern. He is retired as the president and CEO of Business Information Services Inc., a publisher of subscription newsletters and directories in the managed healthcare field, but remains very active in various volunteer capacities. He is a public member of the Stakeholder Council of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board, is lead healthcare advocacy volunteer for AARP Maryland, and has been a volunteer Medicare prescription drug plan counselor for the Maryland State Health Insurance Assistance Program.

David Stout ’68 says his Cornell 150-lb. crew team had a great impact on his life—from it he learned the importance of working as a team and not letting team members down.

Janet Berner Beurskens writes from Las Vegas, NM, that she continues to get much satisfaction from living in New Mexico and owning and managing Kickstart Kafe, a beautiful coffee shop in a fully restored 1884 building located in the heart of the historic district in Las Vegas, running music events, and owning and operating historic rentals and Airbnbs. She also enjoys camping in a restored Airstream. Jan and her husband, Frank, also greatly enjoy visiting their combined family of five children and their spouses, and 10 grandkids!

Jim Deuel and his wife, Karen, live in Asheville, NC, where Jim is involved with the Rotary Club. He and Karen enjoy the freedom retirement brings for traveling and spending more time with family. He comments that his “grandchildren are getting married rapidly!” Jim has fond memories of his time at the Hotel school and continues with many of the friendships he developed back then.

David Stout and his partner of 18-plus years, Mary Kale, have moved to Fogelsville, PA, after 30 years in Detroit, where David had an exciting career in a number of senior leadership and entrepreneurship roles in the automotive industry. David writes that he enjoys spending time with Mary, traveling and working to grow the Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge, which he founded! This is the 17th year of the Global Challenge, which attracts entrants from many countries.

David and Mary also get much pleasure watching their “progeny continue to make wonderful achievements” and keeping in touch with other family members. He also is enjoying learning about the southeastern part of Pennsylvania, their new home. David says his Cornell 150-lb. crew team had a great impact on his life—from it he learned the importance of working as a team and not letting team members down.

I look forward to receiving more news and updates from all of you! Please email me about you and your family with news you would like to share with our classmates. ❖ Steve Weinberg, MBA ’70, JD ’71 (email Steve) | Alumni Directory.

---

1969

The “lead time” between when the class correspondent submits a column and when you read it in Cornellians is significant. Here in southeast Pennsylvania, temperatures broke records throughout July! You will be reading this as the days grow shorter and the thermometer drops again in the Northeast. Our news continues to focus on the many ways our Cornell Class of 1969 classmates are doing good things to make the world better for all.

Philip Callahan has been retired over a year. In fall 2024 he spent two weeks in Japan, commenting “so clean, so efficient!” He plans to visit Southern Africa with both sons and families, which would include six grandchildren. After the family tour, his trip will continue to Rwanda to observe gorillas and chimps with his wife. This year, Philip has been helping the Pasadena synagogue recover from the Eaton Canyon wildfire (near L.A.). Though an engineering physics major on the Hill, Philip cites “Philosophy of Religion” as the most impactful class of his years at Cornell.

Continuing to perform some surgeries on dairy farms while raising sweet corn, pumpkins, and squash keeps life satisfying for Leslie DeGroff. His family, growing as grandchildren arrive, serves to make his objective—to never stop learning, keep moving, and enjoy life—a reality.

Sam and Ann Goldsholl Varsano are both enjoying retirement: relaxing, volunteering at Temple Shalom, doing puzzles, reading, emailing, taking cruises and trips, and seeing friends that are near Marco Island, FL. Like many classmates, Sam mentioned keeping up with grandchildren—graduates of Cornell, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and Arizona State University. At Cornell, Sam says, “I learned I could be on my own.”

The grandchildren theme plays a role in Herb Zien, MS ’72’s life as well. He also likes to travel and works at “changing the world” as vice chair at LiquidCool Solutions, and on the boards of GrandCare, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Skylight Music Theater.

Donald Danila sent a long and detailed letter (typed, no less! Most appreciated). After graduation, he completed ROTC service in the U.S. Navy. His background in aquatic sciences, fishery biology, and ichthyology led to a career in ecological research related to electrical power generation in several contexts, primarily in the Northeast U.S. Donald has provided his expertise as a volunteer to varied organizations after retirement, serving on boards, doing water quality surveys, and participating in other field conservation programs. Donald serves or has served on at least nine boards and commissions, in particular reviewing proposals that might impact the Niantic River (CT) area.

Continuing to perform some surgeries on dairy farms while raising sweet corn, pumpkins, and squash keeps life satisfying for Leslie DeGroff ’69.

Robert Buchsbaum worked as a staff scientist for Mass Audubon (nonprofit environmental organization) most of his professional career, and he continues to serve as a volunteer there. Robert uses his expertise to review proposals that could impact wetlands in his area, with foci on funding affordable housing, historical preservation, open space protection, and public recreation.

Another retired classmate, Alan Cody, serves communities near the Roxbury/Boston area with his career experience in financial advisory services. Alan helps establish financial policies with the Unitarian Universalist Urban Ministry, whose mission is “a greater Boston where all people live with freedom and dignity, with equitable access to opportunities.” Alan finds working for positive change with this diverse board both rewarding and fulfilling.

Sally Weisberg Elam, MS ’71, is a professor of early childhood education focusing on how important the early years are for shaping later life. As a student, Sally experienced the impact of mentoring high school students. Raising her daughter brought clarity to the crucial role of providing both guidance and support in raising children to be successful adults. She evolved from being an elementary school teacher, a parent, and a teacher of educators to focus on the roles of parents and grandparents in early childhood. Sally teaches classes, does presentations, writes a blog, and publishes articles on the critical nature of early support in addressing negative adult behaviors. Her seventh book is Fun Baby Learning Games: Activities to Support Development in Infants, Toddlers, and Two-Year-Olds, published under her professional name, Sally Goldberg, PhD.

The essence of Robert Radford’s letter this round was of the strength and happiness derived from sharing literary experiences. He highly recommends participation in Big Red Reads or another reading group. With several men from his church (pre-COVID), a nonfiction work was chosen to discuss at a monthly meeting—with coffee and snacks, of course. During COVID, meetings became virtual and now continue in that format because the group’s members enjoy the way Zooming collapses time and space.

Larry Krablin and I enjoyed Cornell Reunions in three sequential years. In 2023, we “shadowed” the Class of ’68. Our class had a very successful gathering in 2024, and we were honored to receive the William “Bill” Vanneman ’31 Outstanding Class Leader Award at Cornelliana Night in 2025. What a trifecta to enjoy “10 square miles surrounded by reality” three birthdays in a row! Listening to the Big Red Band after the program, we held the NCAA lacrosse trophy and (eventually) determined that Chris Magill Kamon ’75 recognized us in that crowd!

This volunteer correspondent truly appreciates the news sent with our annual class dues request. It would be wonderful to hear from more classmates. For many of us, time has become more flexible but seems to fly by even faster than it did when we were students, employees, managers, perhaps parents. Thanks for sharing your lives with classmates! ❖ Nancy Jenkins Krablin (email Nancy) | Alumni Directory.

---

1970s

1970

Writing this column in early August, it came to me that this is the 30th class column I have written, beginning in October 2020, nearly five years ago. So much has changed, beginning with the fact that the first column was actually published on paper and mailed to you, as part of a real old-fashioned magazine! What hasn’t changed is that there is a significant lead time between my writing and your reading. Even so, continuing to be fresh in my mind are so many fun and positive experiences that occurred during our 55th Reunion, the first weekend of June. This column will begin with a couple of recent responses from other classmates mentioning some of those Reunion experiences.

Steven Ludsin (East Hampton, NY) was this writer’s next-door neighbor as freshmen in U-Hall 5. A Big Red memory that makes him smile follows: “The 55th Reunion was the best Reunion for me. I was the entertainment for the class dinner on Thursday night, playing my oldies set, which has remained the same since 1967. I also played my electric guitar with classmate Jon Lawrence and three other musicians arranged by the Redstock organizer. The music made me smile for days. I was on a roll thanks to rock!”

What brings Steven the most satisfaction these days is using technology to digitize his life. He uses the “Ludsin Method” to scan his archives, which helps him record memories and organizes his vast collection of documents and photos. “I have been self-employed most of my life, so I find consulting in areas in my wheelhouse keeps me engaged. I keep adding to my collection of more than 400 letters to the editor published in major publications. I am able to spend most of my time in East Hampton rather than Manhattan, and that adds to the quality of my life.”

We asked how attending Cornell changed the trajectory of his life. His answer follows: “Cornell expanded my people skills, using instant recall and photographic memory to keep schmoozing and learning. I had my ‘In Praise of Schmoozing’ essay published in Cornellians, which tells the story.”

Fred Chanania (West Newbury, MA) also enjoyed Reunion. “Our 55th was terrific! Thanks especially to Don Noveau, who was the main organizer (editor’s note: Reunion chair and new class president, too!) and who, more importantly, lived in the room next to mine in U-Hall 2. As usual, a bunch of Pi Lam fraternity brothers, all 1970 classmates, got together—Charlie Adelman, JD ’73, Allan Reich, Stephen Steinberg, and Jon Lawrence—along with wives Debbi (Gerard) Adelman ’71, MS ’74, Lynne Roth Reich ’71, and Jenny Steinberg. Together, we enjoyed many meals, lots of laughs, and memories—some probably accurate and some tinged with hazy nostalgia at best. Perhaps the most remarkable experience was an attic-to-basement (literally) tour of our old fraternity house at 410 Thurston Avenue, which is now the Undergraduate Admissions Office. We spent a lot of time trying to figure out which rooms were occupied by which sophomore-year roommates and where the kitchen used to be.

“We also met up with the current Big Red Bear, who we told about our close friend and fraternity brother Jeff Baer, who was the person who reintroduced the Big Red Bear into Cornell events in 1967–68 (or so). We miss Jeff always at our Reunions. On a broader level, the State of the University speech by President Kotlikoff was inspiring and made me even prouder to be a Cornellian. Last, but absolutely not least, special thanks go out to Charlie Adelman, who always makes sure we get together and who will undoubtedly be soon nominated as Pi Lam Chapter president-for-life by the rest of us.

One highlight was a serendipitous meeting with two recent Cornell graduates from the Class of 2020, who saw my Cornell ball cap and asked if I was a graduate.

Fred Chanania ’70

“With a post-Reunion glow still in place, I returned home to West Newbury, a wonderful small town to which my wife, Elisa, and I retired in 2012. We still luxuriate in our six acres of woods, wetlands, gardens, and orchards. I keep very busy with leading ecology courses at the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, the latest offering being one on New England geology, as well as chairing the tree committee and the library board. Elisa enjoys researching local history, gardening, and serving on innumerable town committees. The biggest family news was the June 28 wedding of our younger son, Will.

“One unrelated highlight of that weekend was a serendipitous meeting with two recent Cornell graduates from the Class of 2020, who saw my Cornell ball cap and asked if I was a graduate. That led to a terrific lunch together. Cornell connections are always so much fun, and, like Reunion, bespeak the lifelong bonds that attending Cornell brings into one’s life, even through chance encounters at the Crab Shack in Newport! I send my warmest regards to other classmates who could not join us at this Reunion, and hope that you can make it to our 60th. Go Big Red!”

Russell Connor (Novato, CA) is satisfied getting his work published and revising it. He adds that he realized that he shrank four inches. In responding to the news form’s question about the most impactful thing learned at Cornell, Russell said: “Truth is a perfect correspondence between statement and reality.”

John Boldt (Oviedo, FL) has been finding satisfaction in getting settled and established in a new Florida home, after moving from New Mexico. He and his wife, Barbara, are engaged in research projects with their community, Legacy Pointe at the University of Central Florida, while also attending lectures and cultural events. John is the vice chair of the facilities committee, dealing with myriad issues typical of a new community. The most impactful thing he learned at Cornell was that his engineering training provided the basis and discipline for problem solving in issues far removed from the academics.

Claire Garrett (Hollywood, FL) was looking forward to visiting Papua New Guinea in August with the Orchid Conservation Alliance, to see orchids in the wild.

As always, you may contact me directly (see below) or you may use the University’s standard online news form. ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 (email John) | Alumni Directory.

---

1971

This past spring, 10 of our classmates attended Cornell’s 2025 Reunion: Debbi Gerard Adelman, MS ’74, Elisabeth Kaplan Boas, Russ Davies, Kathy Menton Flaxman, John Henrehan, BS ’76, Arthur Mintz, Lynne Roth Reich, Jon Ruskin, JD ’74, Margaret Teague Skaarup, and Dot Preisner Valachovic.

It’s less than a year until we gather as a class in Ithaca (June 4–7, 2026) for our own 55th Reunion. Our Reunion committee, led once again by the creative and capable Kathy Flaxman, is already gearing up for what promises to be an exciting, nostalgic, and magical weekend. Please add the dates to your calendar and plan on joining us!

My co-correspondent, Elisabeth Boas, was one of this year’s proud recipients of the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award. Rhodes, Cornell’s ninth president, was one of the most beloved and respected leaders in the University’s history and eloquently inspired alumni of all ages to continue their life after graduation as dedicated Cornellians. In 1994, the Cornell Alumni Association, with the endorsement of the Board of Trustees, established this award in his honor, recognizing alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary service to Cornell through long-term volunteer activity.

Elisabeth Boas ’71 was one of this year’s proud recipients of the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award.

Since graduation, Elisabeth has served on our class council and on the board of directors of her local alumni chapter, annually attended multiple sessions of Cornell’s Adult University, became a lifetime member of the University Council, and, together with her husband, Art Spitzer, recognized the late Professor Isaac Kramnick by funding a study in his honor in Olin Library.

Victor Curran, now retired from a 40-year career in printing and publishing, lives in Concord, MA, close to four grandchildren and two step-grandchildren. He works as a museum interpreter and tour guide sharing the history of his town (meeting interesting people from around the world and learning something new every day).

Victor also writes for Discover Concord Magazine. He attributes a course by Peter Kahn on printing history and the graphic arts for steering him to his career, and his time at Cornell during the late ’60s and early ’70s for instilling the need to fight prejudice and injustice. He still has a 55-year-old framed photo (taken by Joel Marks) of Chuck Reisen, Geoff Lightfoote, BS ’73, Harriet Edwards, and himself demonstrating outside the Syracuse draft board office.

Wishing you all joy, peace, love, and laughter this holiday season! ❖ Cara Nash Iason (email Cara) | Elisabeth Kaplan Boas (email Elisabeth) | Alumni Directory.

---

1972

Typically, at the time of writing the Class of ’72 column, there’s an abundance of submissions. But this summer, members of our class seem to be “on vacation.” Hopefully enjoying yourselves!

Fortunately, Zig Malowicki responded to an Alumni Affairs project asking about volunteer activities. He wrote that he serves on the board of deacons and several ministry teams at his church. As board president of a local Samaritan Counseling Center and a member of the steering committee at a local food pantry, he is following in the footsteps of so many other Cornellians committed to doing “the greatest good.” Way to go, Zig!

Given the paucity of news as of August, this might be a good time to submit news of my own. Perhaps like many of you, I’ve found that retirement is exhausting! Participating in an amateur drama group, a book club, and a writing critique group (publishing two picture books in 2013 and 2017), plus playing the piano and spending time with children and grandchildren on the east and west coasts, are just some of the activities that keep me busy. Although my husband, David Straus, PhD ’77 (who is still working as a professor of climate dynamics) and I continue to live in the Baltimore area, we recently rented a small apartment in New York to spend more time with our kids and grandchildren. Now, as a bonus, we can look forward to seeing classmates in the city as well.

We all know how quickly the years fly by. With that in mind, our class president, Nancy Roistacher, is alerting us to the fact that our 55th Reunion is less than two years away (June 10–13, 2027). If you have Reunion activities you’d like to suggest, or would like to help with planning, please contact her. She looks forward to hearing from you.

Please continue to send in news to your class correspondents. ❖ Susan Farber Straus (email Susan) | Wes Schulz, ME ’73 (email Wes) | Frank Dawson (email Frank) | Alumni Directory.

---

1973

We begin with happy news from our former class president. Paul Cashman and his wife, Jane, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Plymouth, MA, on June 29. It was a grand party, attracting many of their Cornell friends, including: fraternity brothers and classmates Kurt Ahnert, ME ’74, and Steve Mallon; classmates Wayne Merkelson, JD ’75 (and spouse Nancy Roistacher ’72) and Larry Taylor; fraternity brother Dave Wolfthal ’74, DVM ’77, and wife Susan (Franklin) ’76; Karen Reamsnyder ’74, DVM ’77; Jackie Webb ’79; fellow Cornell volunteers Paul Hayre ’91 (wife Jeannette Perez-Rossello ’91 was visiting their U.S. Navy daughter who was on a surprise trip stateside) and Jonelle Bradshaw de Hernandez ’96; and niece Sara Virgil ’06, BS ’05. Fraternity brother Wes Clark and his wife, Linda (Moore) ’75, couldn’t make it, as they were in Utah to attend the birth of a new grandchild. None of our faculty and staff friends from Ithaca could make it, so we plan to have a dinner for all of them at some indefinite time in the future.

Larry Taylor, a Cashman party attendee, also wrote in with news. He and spouse Kathleen Shaul still live in St. Louis, MO. No surprise, FaceTiming with his new granddaughter brings him the most satisfaction these days. He still works at using what he learned at Cornell over 50 years ago. One of his company’s start-ups was a semi-finalist in the Grow-NY innovation competition, operated by Cornell. The most impactful thing he learned at Cornell was that the faculty are accessible and helpful when sought out.

Michael Ciaraldi writes from Shrewsbury, MA, where he and his spouse, Angelina Cantrell, live. He enjoys time with his family and “a daily nap” (ah, retirement). In his spare time, he writes fiction stories, and three have been published recently. The most impactful thing he learned at Cornell was to never stop thinking and never stop learning.

Rebecca Ryland lives with her spouse, Richard Krogsrud, in Davis, CA. She continues to pursue her art career, focused on landscape paintings of the mountains. She and Richard acquired a young dog, Pixie, that they walk every morning. They plan to drive east to visit their son in Vermont, and relatives in Canada and Michigan. Cornell contributed to her love of art and art history, particularly her class with Peter Kahn. She even was able to assist an art teacher at Ithaca High School, which was a great experience.

Leah Bissonette ’73 is taking emeritus classes in birding and aerobics at the community college, finding herself now to be ‘one of those serious exercise people.’

Donald Partridge and his spouse, Patricia, live in Batavia, NY, where they lead a busy life. They have six grandchildren—two in Indiana, two in Rochester, and two across the road. Donald still gardens and plants and harvests hay to feed his Brown Swiss cows to breed and show. He also likes to fish in his pond and hunt deer. During his time at Cornell, Donald participated in two summers of visiting and studying the agriculture of the country via the agronomy department’s class on wheels. He toured the Southeast and the West Coast.

Carl Ferrentino, ME ’74, writes from Delmar, NY, where he lives with his spouse, Jeanne. As with many classmates, his greatest satisfaction is spending time with his children and grandchildren. Walking in the forests of New York also remains an enduring pleasure. When he’s not working part time as an attorney for a small town, he’s engaged in reforesting and building a bar. The most impactful things he learned at Cornell were that “science, engineering, and history matter to make human progress. Faith and good intentions are not enough.”

We heard from Sam Carmen in Milwaukee, WI, where he lives with his spouse, Vicky. Sam tells us that “life is rich. I’m volunteering in the communities where we live, nurturing and sustaining friendships, and sharing joy with family.” Sam looks to his book reading groups, taking classes, and watching programs from the Chautauqua Institution to sustain his curiosity. The most impactful things he learned at Cornell were perseverance and resilience.

Leah Bissonette lives with her spouse, Robert Hemphill, in Encinitas, CA. She’s become a passionate birder, traveling to Peru and the Caribbean, as well as California. She’s taking emeritus classes in birding and aerobics at the community college, finding herself now to be “one of those serious exercise people.” Leah talked about how it’s harder to make friends as an adult, and now many are dealing with the realities of aging. Leah was impacted by learning the importance of research at Cornell; don’t just accept information as “decided.” She continued in research after graduating.

We encourage you to send in your news! ❖ Phyllis Haight Grummon (email Phyllis) | Pam Meyers (email Pam) | Dave Ross (email Dave) | Alumni Directory.

---

1974

Virgina Neptune Esson’s favorite memories of Cornell were meeting her husband, Bill ’72, making lifelong friends, and getting a world-class education. She lives in Nashua, NH, and derives lots of satisfaction from watching her three young grandchildren grow up and learn about the world.

Robert Rappole, DVM ’78, and partner Barb live in Bemus Point, NY, a village on the eastern shore of Chautauqua Lake in Western New York. He still works at two veterinary practices, one for treating small animals and the other limited to pet dentistry, trimming nails, and treating avian beaks and wings. For “recreation,” he keeps busy with swimming, running, skiing, playing regular 18-hole golf and frisbee golf, helping maintain six miles of trails, and spending time with their eight grandchildren under 8 years of age. Seems like he has the energy to easily keep up with them. Robert’s favorite memory of Cornell is graduation.

Deborah Nelson Russell and husband Nick Vallerga live in Brentwood, CA. They enjoy camping in national parks, visiting family and friends, and looking forward to the arrival of a seventh grandchild. Her favorite memory of Cornell is getting together with friends Helen, Cindy, and Robin to cram for exams by quizzing each other while munching on chips.

Bruce Nagel has co-authored The Last Mob Lawyer, a book chronicling “the 93-year-old attorney who represented the most notorious members of organized crime in post-WWII America.” It describes “how the mob was embedded in every aspect of American business, politics, entertainment, and culture.”

Karen Spencer Turner lives in Greer, SC, with husband Gene. She’s retired but enjoys time with family, volunteer work, and getting her steps in. Like so many classmates of our vintage, she is now partly bionic, with total knee replacements and cataract surgery. Her fondest memories of Cornell are social times with friends.

Ben Brungraber still works as a timber structure engineer on mostly old building types, such as covered bridges, churches, and barns. He lives in Delran, NJ, with partner Janet Kane and enjoys working on projects, “floating or not.” He recently drove cross country with Al Van Ranst, MBA ’76, to ski with classmate Wally Howard, ME ’76. Ben has many great memories of Cornell: classes, parties, dates, vistas, friends, and adventures.

Donna De Garmo Willis reported on a recent trip with her sister to visit national monuments and parks out West. They had perfect weather to see Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, and the amazing geysers in Yellowstone National Park. She writes, “I had no idea that one third of Yellowstone (30 by 40 miles) was the caldera of a super-volcano, overdue for eruption,” but she’s grateful to have visited before that occurs.

Jim Irish ’74 and Andrea Glanz ’74 visited Japan last spring, traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto during peak cherry blossom season.

Steve Carlton-Ford and wife Cindy live in Cincinnati, OH. They enjoy spending time with their thriving offspring: three grown sons and a grandson. Steve teaches in the sociology department at the University of Cincinnati. His most recent book (among many others) is Legacies of Injustice: The African Slave Trade, Colonialism, and Today’s Human Rights.

Jean Ivanuska Taccone lives in Atlanta, GA, and continues her routine of (pro bono) wellness and health coaching, volunteer work with young children, and refugee resettlement. She enjoys both international and domestic travel, often visiting extended family around the U.S. Jean has always been pleased and proud to have graduated from Cornell, and she credits many aspects of her current life choices to her foundation in human development and family studies in the College of Human Ecology. She offers these words of wisdom: “We live in a very complex global society. My values and priorities that shape every day have much to do with my learning during Cornell years. I encourage everyone to make a difference.”

Jim Irish and Andrea Glanz of Hartsdale, NY, visited Japan last spring, traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto during peak cherry blossom season. On the first day of the tour, they met notable Cornell classmate Debbie Ridley (graduate of the School of Nursing) and her Cornellian husband, Rich Nenoff ’72, MD ’76, of Albuquerque, NM. The four became instant friends, making the bucket-list trip even more enjoyable.

Back in May, our classmate Mort Bishop joined an adventurous group in Windsor, CA, for three days of bicycling, storytelling, and more than a splash of wine tasting. John Wiest ’76 reported: “Cornell Sigma Chi brothers Chip Johnson ’76 and I navigated the scenic roads around Healdsburg and soaked up local sights and history at Bodega Bay, Sonoma, Armstrong Redwoods, and Jack London State Historic Park. Dave Pritchard, Stan Gross, and Charlie King, all Class of 1975, and Mort Bishop, organized, led our peloton, and warmed many an ear and heart with tales of yore—and of new family grand additions. We enjoyed fabulous weather and hope to repeat this gathering in the years to come.”

Perry Jacobs (one of our illustrious ’74 correspondents) and Bob “Fuzz” Currier were at the Cornell 2025 Reunion reception at Chi Psi. Seven decades of brothers returned, including 98-year-old Jim Brandt ’50, a pledge in 1947! Part of Perry’s duties (along with Kris Rupert’s brother Dave Rupert ’79) included mulching the memorial garden dedicated to deceased brothers in preparation for this year’s annual ceremony. Perry recalled that Cornell’s then-president Martha Pollack attended the inaugural ceremony in 2021 as part of her busy Reunion activity schedule.

I, Betsy Moore, recently visited a friend in Athens, Greece. Our apartment was near the original Olympic stadium with an evening view of the illuminated Olympic circles. I enjoyed the healthy food, lively cafés, art museums, and historic sites. There’s nothing quite like looking up and seeing the Parthenon as part of an urban landscape. Please keep the news coming, classmates! ❖ Betsy Moore (email Betsy) | Perry Jacobs (email Perry) | Linda Meyers Geyer (email Linda) | Alumni Directory.

---

1975

The glow of our just-concluded 50th Reunion continues. Thank you to Reunion chair Susan Fulton and class president Deb Gellman, MBA ’82, for hosting such a wonderful event. For many of us, me included, it took a while to get oriented at our headquarters on North Campus. If it were not for Mary Donlon Hall and Helen Newman Hall as compass points, it would have been difficult to know where we were. What we once knew as North Campus is now populated with new residence halls and new dining locations (one even with a teaching kitchen with stovetops and cameras for students).

We looked at posters from all the concerts that were held during our time on the Hill. We listened to a “look back” session by Corey Earle ’07, which was terrific. For those of us who visited the Straight, that was a bit sad to see—certainly not the crossroads of University life that it was when we were there. And the bookstore: well, if you were looking to see the required books in chemistry, economics, or name any subject, there was nothing to see—everything was electronic. The expansion of superb educational opportunities for current students was so impressive. But even more impressive was just catching up or making new connections for all of us ’75ers.

Here are reflections from the terrific time. Lisa Linder really enjoyed the CALS breakfast with the dean. She spoke with him and also chatted with alumni from the classes of 1950 and 1955. Saturday dinner was great, as was the Sunday goodbye breakfast. Mitch Frank judged the Saturday night dinner “the best.” He said, “Walking around that room was taking a trip through time. The entire event was heartfelt. We talked about memories, families, grandchildren, and more—no one talked about the materialities in their lives.”

Joe and Barbara Shumaker Levitt had a wonderful time visiting with Allan Mayefsky and his lovely wife, Debra Solomon. Bob Licht enjoyed everything about Reunion. He caught up with David Glass, his intramural hockey teammate. He, like many of us, viewed the film The Artist and the Astronaut, which centered on the lives of Pat Musick Carr, PhD ’74, and her husband. Pat is the mother of our classmate Laurie Musick Wright. Like others who attended their respective college breakfasts, Bob found breakfast with the dean of Arts and Sciences to be informative. He also found pleasure in exploring the campus, seeing old sights, and discovering new ones.

Jeff Huth commented that the President’s State of the University Address, Cornelliana Night, and viewing the lacrosse championship trophy all made Saturday night so special. Fred Johnson Jr., MBA ’77, and his wife, Jennifer (Schroeder), MBA ’79, hosted Mike Callahan, ME ’76, and his wife, Claire (Foster) ’78, who visited Fred’s winery after Reunion. Earlier, the couple had listened to the morning lecture Fred offered to the class.

Could it really have been more than 50 years ago when my parents dropped me off at North Campus?

Karen DeMarco Boroff ’75

For Kathryn Noel Phillips, this was her first Reunion! Like many of us, she had a hard time finding Ginsburg Hall! She was impressed that so many alums returned. She made a point of stopping by the Lab of Ornithology and it was wonderful. Despite the rain, the blooming trees and flowers were gorgeous. Noel plans on updating fellow classmate Anne Husa Katerji, who lives in France, with all her Reunion experiences.

Karen Leung Moore loved the “look back” to 1975, as well as the gardening seminar. She said, “My husband, who did not go to Cornell, met more people than I did.” But Karen happily connected with Karen Lennox, whom she had not seen in about 45 years. She also reconnected with Mark Dewey, who had encouraged Karen to look into Greek life. “Joining Delta Gamma was one of the best decisions I made—thanks, Mark,” she says. Karen also liked visiting the Delta Gamma house and seeing the impressive updates underway, this from the leadership of classmate Anne Kelley Anderson.

Wendy Roxin Wicks and her husband, Gary, BS ’77, PhD ’81, like so many of us, give huge kudos to Susan and Deb for their work organizing the Reunion. Wendy and Gary had a great time catching up with folks at the Sigma Pi house. She especially calls out Mark Sears, Tom Kinneman ’76, Denis McDaniel, and Lucy Weingartner. “I was happy to be trounced, once again, by Mitch Frank in Scrabble.” Fran Melton loved seeing all her friends from her Donlon freshman year.

Could it really have been more than 50 years ago when my parents dropped me off at North Campus? Their buying for me a Cornell jacket (and they were so frugal!) is still so vivid in my mind. How enriched all our lives have been because our life paths intersected “high above Cayuga’s waters,” back in August 1971. See you in 2030!

Please take a few minutes to send us highlights of Reunion, your life after Cornell, college friends you’ve seen, and memorable moments on campus, and we’ll share the news in our upcoming columns. To update your contact info with the University, go to this website. ❖ Karen DeMarco Boroff (email Karen) | Mitch Frank (email Mitch) | Joan Pease (email Joan) | Deb Gellman, MBA ’82 (email Deb) | Alumni Directory.

---

1976

Steven, PhD ’84, and Karen Smith Kratzer ’87 celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary this year. They are both retired but keep busy with volunteer activities. Steven and Karen use a weekly Zoom gathering to keep in contact with several Cornell ’87 classmates. Ten of them recently spent a week together in a rental house in Paso Robles, CA. They visited wineries, museums, and other attractions, and celebrated turning 60 (or in Steve’s case, 70). They are hoping to return to campus next year for the 50th Reunion. They posted a picture of the two of them enjoying ice cream near a beach, which I cannot include but it made me smile!

Donna Tesiero has written a new book, Six Nations Diplomat: Molly Brant and the American Revolution. She has written a synopsis for us: “At the dawn of the American Revolution, 39-year-old Molly Brant, a Mohawk Indian, is the widowed partner of the legendary Sir William Johnson and mother of their eight young children. For the past 15 years, she has assisted Sir William, Britain’s superintendent for Indian affairs and hero of the French and Indian War, as he negotiated the relationship between Britain and its colonies with her people, the Six Nations Confederacy, sometimes called the Iroquois.

“Now a time of decision is coming. Will she cast her lot with the colonists who are trying to seize power in a region regarded by her people as the Six Nations heartland, or will she use her great influence to convince her people to remain loyal to the king? Drawing heavily on primary sources, this biography of the Mohawk leader chronicles her task to carve out a promising future for her children and her people in a world that threatens to make homeless refugees of them all.”

Passing his 70th birthday a year ago was a milestone for Bill Altmann. His wife, Liz, surprised him with a big party. Siblings, friends from far away, and most of his own family were there for beer, BBQ, and balloons. Bill finished his 16th novel (as William Altmann), which is a continuation of his five-volume sci-fi series. “Thanks to Cornell for teaching this engineer something about how to write.” His creative writing professor from 1975 would be proud.

Bill Altmann ’76 finished his 16th novel and says, ‘Thanks to Cornell for teaching this engineer something about how to write.’

Bill has taken up learning to play the clarinet. It’s a longtime bucket list item to honor his dearest friend, Joseph Meo, ME ’77, who passed away in November 2023. He is still working, writing patents, writing software, and debating “engineering solutions” with non-engineers. What could be more fun? The answer, he says, is having six grandkids, biking, and walking, keeping him sore and tired. But it’s wrestling with his 2-year-old grandson that’s worth it!

Liz and Bill went to Senegal last winter and it was eye-opening. Of course, it also opened up a whole new list of places to visit. After all, he says that 71 is just a number! About Cornell, Bill says it taught him independence and self-confidence. It was a hard course of study, but he got through it. Bill’s friends taught him about patience and loyalty. Ask him about the one-semester leave of absence sometime!

Now for some personal news from me, Lisa Diamant. I have done some traveling this past summer, including a trip to Disney World with my 6-year-old granddaughter, Layla. It was so much fun, but I needed a few days to recuperate when we came home. In July, Joel Marcus and I took a cruise around Iceland. We had a wonderful time and were amazed by the scenery and enjoyed our visits to some of the baths and lagoons. The volcanic eruptions that were taking place did not cause any disruptions for us.

Pat Relf Hanavan is taking a sabbatical from writing our column. If anyone is interested in becoming a correspondent, you are most welcome to do so. I have been a correspondent for over 40 years and it is really not too time-consuming or difficult. Let me know! ❖ Lisa Diamant (email Lisa) | Alumni Directory.

---

1977

This is a milestone birthday year for many—perhaps most—of us, and some of our classmates are celebrating in style with family and friends. Others are experiencing bucket-list adventures, and still others have returned to Ithaca for more Cornell experiences. Here is the latest news from our classmates.

The children of Carol Benson Antos threw a surprise 70th birthday party for her this summer in Beverly, MA. Cornell classmates Janeth Hendershot, Courtland “Corky” and Donna Fulkerson LaVallee, and Debbie Lathrop Lechner attended. Other Cornellians there were Kathleen Kelley ’75, Jeff Miller ’75, and Mary Caso Miller ’76.

In August, Mark Lange celebrated his 70th in Milwaukee with family from Atlanta, Boston, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. Mark enjoys spending as much time as possible with his three grandchildren, Audrey, 4, Nolan, 3, and Clair, 2, who live in Boston and St. Louis. All three, and their parents, were in attendance, which made the birthday celebration truly special.

This past summer was filled with travel for Sheryl Checkman. In June, she traveled to Uganda for a trip of a lifetime, photographing mountain gorillas and chimpanzees along with all the “big five” animals, including tree-climbing lions! She writes, “I walked alongside rhinos at the rhino sanctuary and photographed more than 250 species of birds, including the prehistoric-looking shoebill. I also spent three nights in Dubai on the way home. Talk about going from one extreme to another!”

In July, Sheryl took a road trip to Maine to see puffins on Machias Seal Island. She reports, “Along the way, we stopped in Portland, Bar Harbor, and Acadia National Park, then up to Lubec for the puffins, then a trip across the border into Canada to Campobello Island in New Brunswick for a couple of hours to see the Roosevelt Campobello International Park.” Sheryl’s final stop was in Boothbay Harbor to see the wooden trolls at the Botanical Gardens and take an Audubon cruise to see more puffins. I also had the opportunity to tour the Botanical Gardens this summer and recommend it highly to anyone visiting Maine!

In June, Sheryl Checkman ’77 traveled to Uganda for a trip of a lifetime, photographing mountain gorillas and chimpanzees along with all the ‘big five’ animals.

In July, Sheryl spent a week on campus at Cornell’s Adult University (CAU) taking a class in ornithology. She notes that it was great to be back, and she had a chance to reconnect with Laurie Robinson for lunch and Kevin Brew and his wife for dinner one evening. Cara Lebowitz Kagan was back on campus in July for CAU as well and studied “Gay American History” with Prof. Sara Warner. Cara writes, “It was a great week in Ithaca!”

Chuck Ortenberg visited Ithaca from June 4–7 to attend the Sprint Football Alumni game, which featured the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1975 championship. There were teammates from the classes of ’76, ’77, ’78, and ’79, with others from adjacent classes that wanted to honor the team. In addition to alumni from many other classes, the Class of ’77 was well represented by Rich Jaso, John Lucia, Terry Scott, Jim Grogan, and Dale Mueller. Prior to the Sprint Football reunion, Chuck had dinner with Bruce Gitlin and Dave Clark on Tuesday and with Mike Weber and his wife, Judy, on Thursday. Chuck writes, “I had a nice drive into Ithaca until I passed the ‘Entering Tompkins County’ sign, when it immediately began to rain. It was a great weekend!”

I’ve been celebrating my 70th with family and friends and with lots of traveling, including a trip to Peru last October with Cornell Alumni Travel and a three-week adventure to India in January. Both trips were life-changing experiences! Next up for me is another Cornell Alumni trip in October, this time to Southeast Asia. I expect it will be another truly magnificent experience.

So, let us know how you spent your milestone birthday, or send any other news about celebrations, trips, family milestones, work, retirement, etc. We enjoy hearing from you and having the opportunity to share your stories with our fellow classmates. Please keep all of your news and views coming in. ❖ Mary Flynn (email Mary) | Howie Eisen (email Howie) | Alumni Directory.

---

1978

Lessons learned at Cornell are reflected throughout Clifford Pearson’s life and career. He writes, “Attending Cornell showed me the world is a big, diverse place and we need to understand people who are different from us to understand ourselves.” Clifford serves as joint artistic director of the Village Trip, a nonprofit organization that celebrates culture and community across Greenwich Village and the East Village/Lower East Side, “giving back to these communities that have served as a cauldron for creativity and activism for more than 150 years.”

Although officially retired, Clifford is still writing for Architectural Record and working on editing projects. He had a new book published in March 2025 by Chronicle Books/Princeton Architectural Press, called Tips from the Top: Architects Share Their Advice for Success. It includes advice from more than 60 architects and designers from around the world.

Greg Wickham also cites diversity of thought and people as one of the most important things he took away from his years on the Hill. “Cornell taught me a great deal about different people in the world and how to work with many different types of personalities,” he notes. The guidance counselor at Greg’s small rural high school discouraged him from applying to Cornell, saying there was no way he could get in, so forget about it. He applied anyway, was accepted early admission, and “showed him!”

Greg and wife Lisa split their time between Old Forge, NY, and Treasure Island, FL, where he volunteers as president of their approximately 200-unit condominium association. After retiring as CEO, Greg does some consulting for Dairy Farmers of America. Still possessing what he calls “an affinity for speed,” he raced on the Watkins Glen racetrack last year and plans to do it again this year.

Environmental concerns keep Sarah Thole Fischell, ME ’79, busy in retirement, volunteering with Citizens’ Climate Lobby and other climate advocacy organizations. She and husband David ’75, PhD ’80, enjoyed using the “self-driving” feature on their Tesla during a spring road trip to visit friends and family in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. Time spent with their grandchildren, ages 6 months, 7, and 10, always brings her joy.

Dena Seifer Friedman also enjoys spending time with her three grandchildren while working three days a week as a psychiatrist in Princeton, NJ. Daughter Stephanie ’13 and husband Stan ’10 live in New Jersey with sons Grayson, 3, and August, 4 months. Dena’s daughter Jennifer ’11, BS ’10, lives in NYC with her husband and 4-year-old Eliza. A true Cornell family!

Still possessing what he calls ‘an affinity for speed,’ Greg Wickham ’78 raced on the Watkins Glen racetrack last year and plans to do it again this year.

Four Class of ’78 ZBT fraternity brothers gathered at the lake home of Stephen Kesselman, JD ’81, on Mascoma Lake, NH, over the summer to celebrate more than 50 years of brotherhood and friendship. Joining Stephen were Bill Sternberg, Ron Frier, and Brian Ochs.

Nathaniel Mishkin retired in May after 40 years as a professional software engineer and 54 years as a programmer. He expects there’ll be more programming in his future—whether it’s automating his irrigation system, contributing to open-source projects, or something else. “I think AI won’t completely eliminate the need for at least some sorts of human programming skills,” notes Nathaniel. He and wife Judy (Levie) were planning an October trip to Hawaii with a stopover in San Francisco for their twin grandsons’ second birthday.

Morris Wallack outlined his career since graduation in a nutshell: “I worked for 34 years for HP (joined out of Cornell in 1979 after one year off selling stereos at Tech Hi-Fi on Dryden Road); retired for 18 months; worked two years for 3D Systems as VP of global sales ops; and retired in 2019.” Morris lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for about 25 years with a two-year hiatus to Dartmouth for an MBA and then in Chapel Hill, NC, before moving to Durham in 2016. Both before and after retirement, he was a SCORE volunteer, advising local small businesspeople. Morris was also a mentor in a structured incubator program with local resources. With his wife’s inheritance, they recently built a vacation home in Sicily, spending their first summer there this year.

Many of our classmates are involved in interesting community service activities. James Gaarder, ME ’79, volunteers at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, giving tours, taking out specimen carts, and giving climate-change talks with Science On a Sphere, a room-sized display system that projects visualizations of planetary data onto a six-foot-diameter sphere. Ellen Katz volunteers weekly with Food Gatherers—the food rescue/food bank of Washtenaw County, MI. With food insecurity on the rise, Food Gatherers distributes food to 140 organizations in the county.

Diana Lorenz-Weggler has spent six years on the all-volunteer board of a nonprofit transition home for homeless veterans, including three years as president. She also does communications work for a research organization working toward better health and better lives for marginalized populations and communities. And Diana makes soup for a soup kitchen once a month.

Good news from Derrick Mancini, BS ’82, who recently had surgery for stage 2 cancer: it was successful. Derrick runs Quincy Street Distillery, a small craft distillery and bar in Riverside, IL, which he started 13 years ago. And lastly, gardening and breeding ornamental plants—mostly perennials—is what Thomas Mabon is up to these days, along with “staying alive and out of trouble.” I trust you can all say the same!

Tell us more. Submit news online or email either of us: ❖ Ilene Shub Lefland (email Ilene) | Cindy Fuller, PhD ’92 (email Cindy) | Alumni Directory.

---

1979

Fall is always a glorious time of the year on campus. The brilliant colors can’t be beat! We heard lots of good news from a number of classmates. In May 2023, Gary Dulberg fully retired as assistant general counsel for the Permanente Medical Group in Oakland, CA, after 26 or so years. As an employment attorney, he owes his career and financial independence to the myriad of foolish behavior that occurs in the workplace. His retirement was just in time for the birth of his first grandson, Hudson, who now lives nearby, allowing him the pleasure of watching him grow up. Gary’s kids were not bound for Cornell, but his daughter has encouraged him to start saving now in case Hudson skips a generation and looks to spend winters in Ithaca.

Retirement has given Gary the freedom to spend time in Portugal, Bali (again), England, Sicily, Tunisia, Poland, Armenia, Georgia, and Denmark. As time passes, his “bucket list” seems to grow larger. Last summer, Gary met up with Scott Miller ’80, MD ’84, in Las Vegas for a weekend of Dead & Company shows at Sphere, then with Barry Kushelowitz (aka “Capt. Kush”) after the shows, as Vegas never sleeps. More recently, Gary and his girlfriend spent time with James Tenser exploring the beauty of Northern Arizona and his adopted home of Tucson. If you are ever visiting the San Francisco Bay Area, look up Gary to explore lesser-known sites.

Peter Pfitzinger, MBA ’82, lives in Auckland, NZ. He retired as CEO of Athletics New Zealand and now enjoys working on projects for High Performance Sport New Zealand. The fourth edition of his book Advanced Marathoning was published in August, so he is doing a few podcasts to promote it. Former Cornell track teammates David Washburn ’78 and Joe Arthur ’80 visited in February and they had a great time touring New Zealand. Best of all, grandson Luca was born in May!

Angeliki Rigos loves to share the wisdom that she acquired in her career across industry, academia, and nonprofits, with young scientists. She tries to provide them with the support she wishes she had when she was a graduate student and early professional. During retirement, in 2021, Angeliki founded the nonprofit Epistimi (Greek for science), which provides leadership training for women in STEM globally. She is busy running the company, fundraising, and teaching leadership workshops around the world. In 2025, they offered leadership training in Greece and Japan.

Angeliki tries to make time for her favorite fun and creative activities, such as writing, painting, knitting, cooking, yoga, swimming, traveling, and hanging out with grandchildren. She also spends time in Greece, so let her know if you will be there. At Cornell, she fell in love with quantum mechanics when taking graduate quantum mechanics in her senior year with Prof. Roald Hoffmann. This led to her PhD in statistical mechanics and becoming a theoretical chemist like Prof. Hoffmann. She also fell in love with the physics postdoc, Paul Champion, who became her husband and the father of their three sons. They live in Andover, MA.

Last summer, Gary Dulberg ’79 met up with Scott Miller ’80, MD ’84, in Las Vegas for a weekend of Dead & Company shows at Sphere.

In February 2025, Steve Whitney sold the business he ran for the past 41 years. He is looking forward to learning, creating, and spending a lot more time with his wife, Barb, and the rest of their extended family, and spending more time flying their seaplane. These days, Steve gets the most satisfaction cheering on the sidelines of their grandkids’ games. Cornell gave Steve a firm grounding in engineering principles that were the cornerstone of his career in starting, owning, and running multiple medical products manufacturing businesses. The analytical and creative mindset developed and encouraged at the College of Engineering has been crucial, he says. Moreover, singing with and managing the Cornell University Glee Club gave him both musical and management skills that have served well for decades. “Thanks, Big Red!”

Michelle Kay Garvey, MBA ’81, and husband Luke, MBA ’82, are in Norwalk, CT. Both retired from full-time work several years ago, but continue to work nevertheless: Michelle as a consultant and advisor on technology transformation in the retail/consumer projects space, and Luke as a therapist/clinic CFO/COO, along with board work. They welcomed their first grandchild, Lucy Michelle, this past year and are delighted that she, along with both of their kids, live nearby, so they frequently see each other. Michelle said that, of course, Lucy is the perfect baby.

Judy Krell Freedman has been enjoying her retirement, and last year moved to the Princeton, NJ, area. She loves living near a university town, even if it’s not Cornell. Travels of late have included many to California to spend time with her new granddaughter. This year she had a snowbird stay in Sarasota, where she attended a Cornell alumni event to hear our new president speak about the state of affairs at our alma mater. You can still find her blogging.

Cynthia Preston Hagin said that grandkids make her happy. They make her laugh and keep her young. She still works part time on their small farm but is retired from nursing. At Cornell she learned that even if things don’t work out quite as you hoped or when you planned, hard work pays off in the end.

Two classmates are in the Lehigh Valley, PA, area. Elizabeth Dellers lives in Nazareth with her husband, Andrew Smith. She still works as a surgical pathologist at HNL Lab Medicine in the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). Kelly Banach lives near them in Allentown. For 35 years, Kelly worked inside the criminal justice system, both as a prosecutor and as a criminal trial and juvenile delinquency judge. She frequently saw the same kids: first as victims of child abuse and domestic violence, and then again as parents of troubled children. By the time she retired in 2021, she felt burned out. She made a plan to recharge by volunteering as a “cuddler” in the neonatal intensive care unit at the LVHN. She wanted to find the joy and sweetness in life and she thought some TLC would help. A few times each month, Kelly holds, rocks, and sings to extremely premature, sick, and substance-addicted newborns. She said that this experience brings her serenity and immense joy.

Your classmates love hearing from you, so send updates via the Share Your News form, the online news form, or emails sent directly to any of our class correspondents: ❖ Linda Moses (email Linda) | Larry Bunis (email Larry) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea (email Cynthia) | Alumni Directory.

---

1980s

1980

Let me share the latest news that shows, once again, that it is good to be a Cornellian.

Will Dickerson, PhD ’92, reports that Wipf and Stock Publishers released his second book, The Search for Shalom, in September 2025. According to Kirkus: “This is a rare work that would appeal to academic, ministerial, and lay Christian audiences alike, featuring both a solid research bibliography and references to pop culture. With a PhD in medieval history from Cornell and an MDiv degree from Princeton, Dickerson has a solid understanding of Christian history and theology that emphasizes nuance and introspection, often calling out Christians themselves for failing to live up to Christ’s message of peace. … Dickerson offers Christian readers a thoughtful work that both affirms their faith while challenging them to live up to their religious ideals. … A well-researched, distinctly Christian guidebook for finding peace in an era of violence and anxiety.”

Will began at Cornell in the College of Engineering and planned on a career in engineering. During our freshman year, he took History 151/152 with Prof. L. Pearce Williams ’48, PhD ’52, who made history come alive. That spring he transferred to the College of Arts and Sciences and “the rest, as they say, is history.” Will says, “I very much enjoy spending time with family (especially children and grandchildren) and friends. I feel refreshed when I can spend time in nature (and I make use of the Ornithology Lab’s Merlin Bird ID app). And I am always looking for good books to read.”

You may know that Alumni Affairs has coordinated a project that asks alumni to share news about their volunteer activities, as part of Ezra Cornell’s ideal of “doing the greatest good.” In response, Nancy Schlicht Hall reported that she has been involved by being board chair of Brooktondale Community Center, primary organizer of the Brooktondale Apple Festival, leader of a local quilt guild, part of a group that stuffed 2,000 eggs for a yearly egg hunt, part of a local emergency preparedness group, and organizer of a yearly summer camp (and hiring staff). If you would like to participate in the “greatest good” project, you can tell your story here.

Nancy Schlicht Hall ’80 is the primary organizer of the Brooktondale Apple Festival.

You may recall that Victor Schwartz appeared in our last column and in a Cornellians story because his wine importing business, VOS Selections, was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against import tariffs. In May, a three-judge panel ruled unanimously in favor of the plaintiffs—deciding that the tariffs had exceeded the scope of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act, under which the administration had instituted them. Victor has made headlines again—this time because the case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and on August 29 the court decided that the statute that the president claimed authorized the tariffs in fact did not. This case undoubtedly is going to the Supreme Court. Hail to thee, Victor.

I just came across this bit of trivia: In the late 1700s, a group of families with the surname Cornell moved to Washington County, NY, an area that Dana Jerrard hails from. In 1963, local historian Jane Betsey Welling wrote in her book They Were Here Too: Genealogies of the Owners of the Inn at Easton Corners and Related Families of Southern Washington County that “the Cornell name locally has always been pronounced COR-nell, with the accent on the first syllable, but recently it has been popular to place the accent on the second syllable, Cor-NELL, as in Cornell University, though Ezra Cornell, whose name the University bears, was related to those local Cornells, and it is difficult to trace why the change came about.” I wonder which syllable my fifth great-grandfather—Zebulon “Zeb/Zebedee” Cornell, 1751–1834, who moved to those parts in the 1770s and was “seven feet high, a Quaker, a farmer, a lawyer, a justice of the peace, and a great Freemason”—favored.

Please write to any of us with news you would like to share with the Class of ’80. ❖ David Durfee (email David) | Karen Vecchio Simons (email Karen) | Dik Saalfeld (email Dik) | Chas Horvath, ME ’81 (email Chas) | Alumni Directory.

---

1981

What’s going on with you? The fall is quickly flying by, and for most of the country, the weather has been crazy. Of course in Florida, this is the time of year I just love!

I’m headed to Israel mid-November with a wonderful group of women through my synagogue, and I know it will be a life-changing trip! I am also now on the Cornell University Council, which is a complete honor. I’m so excited to be taking my involvement to a new level for the Big Red. My work with Hadassah Hospital keeps me hoping as well. Family is doing well and my daughter, Ella, is full on with her new sorority at UF, Zeta Tau Alpha! I thoroughly enjoyed mom’s weekend, with of course a wonderful Gator Football game and tailgate. My son, Brayden, has been thriving with his travel volleyball team and we even went to Chicago to watch him do his thing!

Marilyn Trautfield Sugarman tells us that—even though they live on opposite sides of the country—she and her husband, Howard, got to see Debbie Hirsch Ewing and her husband, Mark, three times in 2024. They have vacationed with them for several years, and last April they went on a European cruise. Just a month later, the Sugarmans traveled to California for Debbie’s daughter Kristen’s wedding. In November, the Ewings came to the East Coast for Marilyn’s daughter Jessica’s wedding. Other Cornellians in attendance from the Class of ’81 were Solange Cohen Bar-Ness and husband Ely and Jody Weiner Kauffman.

Cornellians from other years included Jody’s husband, David Kauffman ’79; Marilyn’s sister-in-law and brother-in-law Aimee Sugarman Poll ’74 and husband Jeffrey ’72; their sons Jarett Poll, MBA ’15, and Gregory Poll ’04, and his wife, Rachel Smallman ’04; Eve Burkhart ’16; and William Beute ’16. Marilyn writes, “While we won’t see Debbie and Mark again this year, we know that we’ll meet at the end of June 2026, since we booked another European cruise together. Debbie likely won’t make it to the next Reunion, but she’s holding out hope since she hasn’t been to Reunion since 2011.”

Even though they live on opposite sides of the country, Marilyn Trautfield Sugarman ’81 and her husband got to see Debbie Hirsch Ewing ’81 and her husband three times in 2024.

Susan Rodriguez was recently featured in a Cornellians story for her work spearheading the design of the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, a $160 million effort that has reimagined a northern corner of Central Park. “I feel like I’ve been preparing for this project my entire career,” Rodriguez says on an afternoon in mid-April 2025, “because it brings together the two things that I love: working in the city and working in beautiful landscapes.”

Chuck Geerhart tells us that his wife, Cathy, and he returned to the Hill in July 2025 to attend Cornell’s Adult University (CAU). They took a course called Genetics & Culture, taught by a wonderful history professor, Michell Chresfield. Chuck writes, “We took the course because of the true crime aspect (think genetic genealogy), but it turned out to be much more. This was our second CAU, and I highly recommend it. Classes run only half the day, so you have plenty of time to chillax and wander the campus and town.

“New buildings on campus now outnumber old, and Collegetown is unrecognizable. It really made me appreciate all the old houses in Ithaca, some of which are in better shape than others. Highlights of the trip included Taughannock Falls, the Souvlaki House, and the Glenwood Pines. And a new find: Cayuga Lake Creamery, a real old-fashioned, small-town ice cream experience out on Route 89 in Interlaken. I was shocked to find the State Diner is no longer open 24 hours! What do the kids do for food at 2 a.m.?! After CAU, we went to NYC and connected with my old Donlon dormmate, Leslie Watson Pearson, and her husband, Andrew, then caught tapings of Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers.”

Again, our Reunion is coming up! Please, here is a request for you, our class members, to update your contact info in the Alumni Directory. This includes links for alumni to look up a Cornell classmate (or any alumni) and to update your own profile and contact information.

Let me know how you are doing! As always, stay safe, happy, and healthy! ❖ Betsy Silverfine (email Betsy) | Alumni Directory.

---

1982

We only heard from a couple of classmates this round. David Weis, whose spouse is Claire, tells us, “While many friends seem to be nearing retirement, I’m still at it—mostly helping companies scale while still coaching and volunteering. Our daughter is a rising junior at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is heading to Florence, Italy, for the fall, and we have two boys in high school. As a volunteer with the Los Angeles Fire Department Community Emergency Response Team, I had the opportunity to serve during the Palisades fires. My Boston-based health club business, Beacon Hill Athletic Clubs, is now 36 years old and going strong. I am always looking for interesting opportunities and to meet fellow Cornellians!”

Kathy Miller says, “I retired from federal service this year after 41 years, something I had long planned to do even before the ‘Fork in the Road’ email came out. While I thoroughly loved my career, including my last position as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Comptroller, it is time to ease into a new chapter. And ease I did! For the first time since leaving Cornell as a student, I gave myself a summer vacation. My husband, Brian Pickerall, and I celebrated with a trip to Half Moon resort in Jamaica, and again in June with a cruise on the Douro River in Portugal.”

Kathy continues, “We thoroughly enjoyed hosting Steve Crump and his wife, Lisa (Mummery), and family at our home in Falls Church, VA, in August. And I took up horseback riding again! As summer turns to fall here in Virginia, I’m opening up that next chapter as a corporate advisor, executive coach, and member of the CALS Dean’s Advisory Council. Looking forward to being back on campus a few times this fall for the Advisory Council and the Trustee-Council Annual Meeting. Would love to link up with any Class of ’82 members here in Northern Virginia.”

For the first time since leaving Cornell as a student, I gave myself a summer vacation.

Kathy Miller ’82

In another bit of news, after 32 years in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 26 in Clinton and the last six in Cambridge, your faithful correspondent Mark Fernau and his wife, Melissa (Duncan) ’83, have relocated to Poughkeepsie, NY, and bought a small house there. Mark was raised in the Empire State and is enjoying his return. We are now closer to our two oldest grandkids, who live in Harlem, and Mark’s family in Ballston Spa, NY, as well as being closer to our Adirondack lakefront property. Our third and youngest grandchild lives in Spain with our daughter and her Ecuadorian/Spanish husband, so that is still a bit of a trip. We had a lovely month in Spain during his birth in late 2024 and saw him again on a family reunion trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands; we hope to get back to Spain soon.

In July, John Pisacane posted a picture on our class’s Facebook page of two still-functioning red-light “82” buttons that the class gave away as swag at one of our Reunions. He found them in the process of packing for a move from his San Jose, CA, house of 26 years. In June, also on Facebook, Juliet Kolm Gibbs reposted an announcement from Cornell saying that our Class of 1982 Tradition Scholar (sponsored by class donations) Jay Kim ’25 was one of 16 (out of 61) Brooks School of Public Policy seniors to be recognized by the school as an “outstanding senior” for excellent academic performance and great contributions to the program, school, and University.

Earlier in June, via our class’s Facebook group, Julie Vargo and former Big Red quarterback Christopher Metz reported that their business, the Village Tavern Restaurant & Inn in Hammondsport, NY, is the first “and probably the only” alumni-owned restaurant to proudly display a poster signed by members of the Cornell University men’s NCAA lacrosse champions! They were so happy to have the opportunity to watch the senior lax players graduate in Ithaca with the trophy and to get their autographed poster at the event. They welcome any Cornellians visiting Upstate New York to come see them at the inn.

As we start to think about Reunion 45 in 2027, please take a few minutes to peruse our class memory book and enjoy all of the news, memories, and photos that can be found there. It might help you to reconnect with a classmate with whom you’ve lost touch. And, as always, even in this age of instant social media, we love to hear from you the old-fashioned way (well, sort of old fashioned, being online and all). ❖ Mark Fernau (email Mark) | Nina Kondo (email Nina) | Doug Skalka (email Doug) | Alumni Directory.

---

1983

I’m sitting in South Florida writing this, thankful we have a rainy season day without rain (so far). It was very exciting last weekend watching Davis Cup tennis in Delray Beach. That was a special treat—I got to recycle my USA Olympic fan paraphernalia from last year. While the outcome wasn’t what the USA had hoped for, the match versus the Czech Republic was a riveting back-and-forth, with incredible fan spirit on both sides. Definitely motivated me to buy tickets for the Delray Beach Open in February 2026, with the Miami Open to follow. It was a bit of a tennis year for me—I made it to the U.S. Open as well as the French. The Wimbledon queue was sadly a bit long, but I will try a different strategy next year. Any takers for an Australian Open rally in 2027?

We also had a wonderful August family vacation week in Bar Harbor, ME. We had never been there before and would definitely return. Fun touristy with plenty of room to spread out in spectacular nature. As we often do, we managed to support the local economy—hiking, e-biking, fishing, mini-golfing, eating out, and enjoying delicious ice cream in town every night. And a very special lunch at the famous Beal’s Lobster Pier, co-owned by Russ Bernard ’80. Next up is a fall family trip to Club Med in Turks & Caicos, a great place for an adult family holiday—everyone can do their thing and then come together for fun meals and entertainment. Exciting travels, everyone!

Wonderful news from Helen Schulman, who recently released her latest book, a story collection called Fools for Love. Helen is the fiction chair and professor of writing at the MFA program at the New School in NYC. She proudly notes, “My life as a writer really began at Cornell.” Fools for Love is described as “a virtuosic, laugh-out-loud collection of stories that explore the fraught and fantastic nature of human connection—featuring women, men, various couples, and one terribly precocious baby enmeshed in tangled romances of all shapes and sizes.”

The description continues, “A single American mother and a French Orthodox rabbi fall in love over poetry, as she helps to dismantle a shuttered bookstore in Paris. A rebellious young woman marries a series of men who are all wrong for her and proceeds to cheat on each of them; her widowed mother finds her deceased husband’s sex diaries and decides she needs to make up for lost time. And in the title story, a blossoming East Village playwright realizes that her marriage to a brilliant actor is doomed, after watching his performance in an alternative production of Sam Shepard’s iconic play.”

My life as a writer really began at Cornell.

Helen Schulman ’83

Great to have Julie Doig McPeek writing in. “My daughter Shannon is a neonatal intensive care nurse and experienced mental health challenges as a result of the things she experienced as a nurse. As a result, she founded a 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Operation Happy Nurse (OHN). OHN is committed to improving the mental and physical health of nurses and student nurses by providing free resources to support their wellbeing. Nurses play a vital role in healthcare, with one of every five healthcare providers identified as a nurse (Department of Labor, 2022), but the profession’s demands often lead to burnout and mental health challenges. As nurses’ wellness directly impacts patient outcomes, improving the health of nurses and student nurses also results in better care and health outcomes for our communities. I serve on the board of directors for OHN and truly enjoy working with my daughter to raise awareness of this important issue!”

Benny Yih is hard at work for all of us, helping to build and maintain local trails for hiking and mountain biking. Ann Post shares news that she’s enjoying Chicago, attending summer events and planning travel. Ann is semi-retired, working part time as an usher at live concerts and shows. She’s also doing some HR operations work. She stays in touch on calls and Zooms with her Cornell roommates and Pi Phi buddies, and is especially enjoying planning her upcoming travel to Europe. Ann writes that the most impactful thing she learned while at Cornell was that “the conversations I had/have with Cornell connections are always about being curious and seeking to understand what is happening domestically and globally.”

Joseph DiCenso sends his happenings from his home in Williamsville, NY. Joe is enjoying spending time with family and friends, traveling, seeing movies, going out, and exercising. He recently transitioned into a new phase of pre-retirement and is looking forward to doing even more of the above. Joe’s daughter, Serena, is completing a degree at New York College of Podiatric Medicine and will also be getting married in the fall of this year. Joe’s getting ready to help her move to a new apartment, “hopefully rent-controlled,” in Manhattan! Reflecting on how Cornell has played an impactful role in his life, Joe shared his perspective: “How to become the best version of myself is a lifelong endeavor, including always learning and growing, personally and professionally.” ❖ Stewart Glickman (email Stewart) | Alyssa Bickler (email Alyssa) | Nancy Korn Freeman (email Nancy) | Jon Felice (email Jon) | Alumni Directory.

---

1984

Hey, classmates! I hope you’re enjoying the summer. It’s beautiful in Michigan this time of year.

Here are notes from a few classmates. Even though Blaise Vitale was scheduled to deploy with the Army National Guard to Powidz, Poland, in August 2025, he was suddenly mandatorily retired as part of a DOGE cut. He shares that this may make him retire completely. After practicing family medicine for 34 years in a small town of 1,300 people in a National Health Service Corps community in northern Wisconsin, he has also decided to become a snowbird, spending future winters in Arizona.

Oscar Abello volunteers with Safe and Abundant Nutrition Alliance and Food Bank of the Rockies to help families in need have access to food on a weekly basis. Close to 200 families are helped each week. He is also on the Latino advisory board for the town where he lives, to help ensure the local community’s needs are met and that their voices are heard.

Ken, JD ’87, and Suzie Mui Bastian, BS ’89, produced and performed in Lamb of God by Rob Gardner on March 29 and 30, 2025. Suzie sings with the Washington, DC, Temple Choir, which usually has 80 singers and three accompanists. She is also part of the Washington, DC, Temple Orchestra, which has 25–35 instrumentalists, depending on the work. In early fall 2024, she asked the choir president if she would consider performing Lamb of God again four weeks before Easter to start the Easter season and end with the Messiah sing-along on Palm Sunday. The whole choir was in!

Suzie writes, “When I say produce, I mean every part of the process. I communicated with Spire Music, I gathered the music, I helped with choosing soloists, I coordinated with the orchestra section leaders, I helped singers mark their music, I worked with the audio/video crew, and so forth.” She performed recently, two nights with standing room only, 1,100 people watching, and says it was amazing! This was all done free of charge, and she purchased a black shirt and blue tie for each of the male singers. “New equipment was purchased to get the best sound possible. Everyone volunteered their time, so very few people were paid. I think it was the best fun I have ever had in my life and I am grateful for all the years of being a PTA mom, teacher, director, singer, and violin player. The two performances did not require tickets. It was all free. The community came out and everyone benefitted. Can’t ask for more!”

Lindsay Liotta Forness volunteers for Keep Bermuda Beautiful (KBB) and Bermuda High School (BHS). KBB is a civilian corps of volunteers who do regular cleanups around the island. “Ocean trash is a major concern for any island and we look to clean it up, especially plastics.” Serving on the board of BHS helps Lindsay to share her experience in educational fundraising and hospitality management for a nonprofit all-girls’ school.

Christine Miller Whaley ’84, MBA ’89, left the corporate world in 2006 to start a family and would jokingly tell people that she became a ‘professional volunteer.’

Robert Sartin volunteers with Livestrong as co-lead of the Texas advocacy team. “We are reviewing weekly summaries of bills before the Texas legislature and communicating action plans to our teams so we can pass good legislation and stop bad legislation for cancer survivors.” He also signed up for a 5K walk/run in November, which is a challenging goal because last year he had 10 strokes and currently can’t walk.

Christine Miller Whaley, MBA ’89, left the corporate world in 2006 to start a family and would jokingly tell people that she became a “professional volunteer.” She has long been a volunteer for Cornell as a class officer, president of the Cornell Club of Greater Philadelphia, member of the Cornell University Council and Administrative Board, and member of various other Cornell committees. With a small child at home, Christine began to get more involved in local community efforts as well. She was honored to serve as a board of trustees member for the Montgomery School for nine years, serving on the executive committee and leading the audit, advancement, and governance committees over her tenure. She also became very involved with her church, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Glenmoore, PA.

In 2010, Christine was asked to join her church’s vestry as the head of outreach ministries, which had a profound impact on her involvement in the church and the larger community around her. Over the past 15 years, she continued to be involved in the outreach committee, leading the group at times and being a very active participant at other times. She coordinated holiday dinners for families through Good Samaritan Services, led collection drives of health- and personal-care products for a free-aid clinic in Phoenixville, PA, coordinated a yearly backpack drive for a back-to-school initiative in Coatesville, PA, and engaged youth in collecting canned soups and food items during the Souper Bowl of Caring, to name but a few.

Over the years, she has become a strong advocate for addressing food insecurity in her community. During the COVID lockdowns, it was particularly important that those in the most need were not forgotten, as many of the regular support services were paused or eliminated. Her son, now Cornell Class of 2029, also got involved coordinating a drop-off food drive at his school and picking up items in their neighborhood to bring to the local food pantry. She currently leads her church’s monthly effort to provide a home-cooked meal for the men residing in the W.C. Atkinson Men’s Shelter in Coatesville. She coordinates the menu and organizes the cooks and volunteers to provide a full dinner for 20–30 men on the third Saturday of every month. Her volunteer work has been far more fulfilling than she could have ever imagined and her greatest joy comes from seeing the impact a small gesture of kindness can have on the larger community.

Please keep those updates coming! ❖ Michael Held (email Michael) | Charles Oppenheim (email Charles) | Alumni Directory.

---

1985

Alejandro Badia writes, “I am pleased to announce that OrthoNOW, my platform for immediate orthopedic care with no appointment needed, was just acquired by Redwood Advisors, a boutique healthcare private equity firm. I will remain as chief medical officer while furthering my mission to improve U.S. healthcare delivery via my book, Healthcare From the Trenches, podcast, and meetings with healthcare disruptors.” He adds, “I’m delivering my daughter to London this week as she embarks upon a fine arts degree at the prestigious University of the Arts London.”

Melissa Reitkopp recently penned an essay for Cornellians about how her work as a career development coach has given her a new perspective on professional reinventions. “No one expects to find themselves at the epicenter of chaos—but as a career development coach based in Washington, DC, that’s exactly where I am,” she writes. “In the past seven months, the career landscape has shifted underfoot, especially for those employed in or adjacent to the federal government.

“My clients and I are feeling an unprecedented level of uncertainty. Yet I’ve also found that my career, with its own twists and turns, has prepared me to be a resource for other professionals during the current crisis. I’ve learned a lot about the factors driving success, like practice, persistence, maintaining a strong network, and—the one I’m thinking about the most these days—the ability to pivot and reinvent oneself.” You can read the full essay here. ❖ Class of 1985 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1986

Tom Staggs writes from Snohomish, WA, that he retired last year from Boeing, where he was a production test pilot for 737s, and before that the head of all cockpits. These days he is enjoying life spending time with his recently retired wife, Kay, and their 6-month-old Bernese mountain dog (in that order, I am sure!). They are also filling their free time with international travel.

Jennifer Dilworth, BS ’90, checked in from Kingston, WA, where she is a weatherization manager and the proud mama of a doctor of chiropractic. She enjoys e-biking and says the most impactful thing she learned at Cornell was to “push on.”

Two of our classmates shared the work they are doing to help better our communities. Irene Hendricks writes, “During the pandemic, local food insecurity in Connecticut increased dramatically. In response, I founded the Little Free Pantry of Stamford, which to date has distributed over 100,000 individual food and personal care items to members of the community. The LFP serves anyone in need 24/7 and without any bars to access through funds raised in the community, and via partnerships with local organizations.”

Steve Getman continues his work with the veterans of Schuyler County, ensuring that they have access to legal advice on a wide range of civil matters. Great work, Irene and Steve! ❖ Lori Spydell Wagner (email Lori) | Michael Wagner (email Michael) | Toby Goldsmith (email Toby) | Alumni Directory.

---

1987

Thomas Riford is the vice president of Rider Jet Center, located in Hagerstown, MD, and its associated companies. Rider Jet Center is a fixed-base operator, which is a commercial operation that provides aviation services to major airports, as well as smaller airports and hangars. Tom is involved in the development, management, and promotion of the companies. His son is a captain in the U.S. Army and commands a medical company in Korea. When he is not working, Tom enjoys skiing and riding his bike.

Patricia Baumann traveled to Ithaca in March to watch the ECAC women’s regional final between Cornell and Colgate College. She was joined by Melissa Gambrell Baumann ’90, Leigh McCabe ’90, and Kathryn LoPresti Mauro ’89.

Matthew Nagler is a professor in the Department of Economics and Business at the City College of New York. He spent his sabbatical visiting the University of Colorado in Boulder. Matthew wrote that he has “pivoted to thinking about what economics can tell us about how to have a more meaningful life and how to build a more moral world.” He explores this topic in his “Zen and Economics” Substack. He plans to write a book to take a deep dive into these questions.

Allison Fennell, DVM ’91, says she still loves running her veterinarian practice, Colonial Animal Hospital, in Springfield, VA. When not spending time with her family, including her 100-year-old father, Allison enjoys playing tennis. The July 2025 edition of Northern Virginia Magazine had a full-page article about her in its “Women Making a Mark” section. The most impactful thing Allison learned at Cornell is how to succeed despite adversity and racism. Her experience made her a stronger person and improved her self-esteem, which in turn has helped her succeed later in life.

John Grubb volunteers at a senior center near Duxbury, MA, preparing meals for surrounding senior communities. Two or three days a week, John can be found at the center, which provides meals at its café, as well as meals that are delivered to community members with mobility issues.

Robert Maxon ’87 is the weekday morning StormTracker meteorologist on NBC ‘Connecticut News Today.’

Debra Howard Stern wrote that Ezra Cornell’s stated intention “to do the greatest good” and his founding of a university “where any person can find instruction in any study” have deeply shaped her life’s work. Debra is executive director of the Amani Public Charter School in Mt. Vernon, NY, which she founded 13 years ago. Four Cornellians serve on the school’s board of directors: John Kuo ’85, Sondra WuDunn, Paul Morenberg, and Max Smith ’00.

The school’s mission is to provide children in the Mount Vernon area with a fifth through eighth grade education that gives them the academic skills necessary to succeed in competitive high school programs, college, and their chosen careers. Debra says that when she walks through the school’s halls and see its students thriving, she is “reminded that this is precisely what it means to ‘do the greatest good’—creating educational opportunities that transform not just individual lives but entire communities.”

Robert Maxon is the weekday morning StormTracker meteorologist on NBC “Connecticut News Today” from 5 to 7 a.m. and through the “Today” show. The weather, especially Hurricane Erin, kept Bob quite busy during the month of August.

Deborah Kranz Muller is the founder and chief executive officer of HR Accuity, an AI-powered case management and employee relations platform. Tony Chen ’12 interviewed Debbie during the August 26 episode of his Big Red Podcast.

And I (Elizabeth Brown) was recently named to the board of the newly founded Cornell Women’s Network of Greater Philadelphia. ❖ Liz Brown, JD ’90 (email Liz) | Whitney Weinstein Goodman (email Whitney) | Alumni Directory.

---

1988

Welcome to our 1988 class column, to new readers as well as to our faithful readers. This is our last column for 2025—WOW, the year has flown by …

Sending news from Tampa Bay, FL, Diane Weisbrot Nagle, who moved there after residing in Redondo Beach, CA, for 26 years, is a huge baseball fan. Along with her husband, Tom, they have traveled to 10 states, visiting 14 ballparks along the way while attending over 40 baseball games. That’s a true fan! Diane is now “out and enjoying life” after being bedridden with a neuropathic disorder caused by inappropriate “psych” drugs. She is looking forward to getting back to finishing a book on the life of her father, Harold, “who survived several concentration camps and a death march during the Holocaust.”

Jocelyn Yocum DiChiara is “enjoying beautiful Colorado living!” She gets a lot of satisfaction these days from helping others feel more connected to themselves. Jocelyn started her own therapy and coaching practice in holistic mind-body healing. She is very passionate about empowering others. During her years on the Hill, Jocelyn enjoyed learning and became very fond of the natural beauty in this world. In her spare time, she loves having fun with friends and visiting with her adult children.

This past August, Ethan Brecher celebrated his 13th year at his own law firm in New York City. His daughter Anna ’21 is graduating from Cornell Law School this spring and is engaged to get married. She plans on working for a law firm in New York City after graduation. His other daughter, Sarah, is a consultant at ZS Consulting in the healthcare field. In his free time, Ethan loves hopping on a plane, traveling the globe, and taking photos on his adventures with his Canon R5 and DJI drone.

Andy Turner ’88, MPS ’93, has been the director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension organization in New York for the past two years.

Hailing from New Rochelle, NY, Jayne Gilbert Peister just started a new full-time job at Amgen, in field marketing to support a rare disease therapy, after completing her third retirement. She enjoys traveling the world on vacations with her husband, Darren, by her side and visiting their daughters who both live in Israel. Good luck, Jayne, on your next chapter.

From our own Cornellians publication, Andy Turner, MPS ’93, has been the director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension organization in New York for the past two years. His parents were both extension educators in the Rochester, NY, area. He says, “I basically grew up in the extension office.” This organization is dedicated to outreach and education and sharing Cornell’s expertise in agriculture and other fields in counties all over New York State. They work with residents to identify needs and priorities in many agricultural communities in order to improve the quality of life. You can read the full story here.

Stacy Smith Ross has written a book titled Searching for Slippers. In this story, the author discusses her personal journey as a parent of a child with borderline personality disorder. Through her words, Stacy reveals her emotions and experiences, which helped her emerge as a stronger version of herself.

Lastly, John Gustavsson has been living in Portland, OR, and is now retiring after 22 years as a trauma and musculoskeletal radiologist. He’s looking forward to having more free time to explore the Pacific Northwest. Occasionally he travels back to the East Coast, to New York, and visits with classmate Sandy Young Klindt, DVM ’93, and Leslie Schiff ’86.

That’s all for now. Enjoy the upcoming holiday season. Please keep sending your news to me. I love hearing from our classmates, both near and far. ❖ Pamela Darer Anderson (email Pam) | Alumni Directory.

---

1989

Hi classmates, family, and friends of the Class of ’89! A friend recently remarked, “There must be a word for someone who’s so devoted to their school.” Yeah, we’re Cornellians, right? (Or maybe Solons, say my Montpelier, VT, high school classmates—we celebrated our 40th high school reunion in July! Which means that 40 years ago, many of us in the Cornell Class of ’89 were completing our first semester on campus.)

I hope many of you have managed to nurture your connections to our alma mater lately, whether through a visit to Ithaca, joining the online book club, reading about new research, making an annual donation, or something else! Let us know what you’re up to by filling out an online news form or emailing one of your Class of ’89 correspondents.

Susan Psaila and Jim Haller were on campus in May for a very special event! Susan writes, “We just celebrated our daughter Chloe Haller ’25’s graduation from Cornell. That’s a three-peat for our family, which also includes Mia Haller ’19 and Liam Haller ’23. We are sad to not have to travel to Ithaca to visit the kids, but we will find other excuses to get to one of our favorite places!”

Our classmate Heather Alexander celebrated the publication of a new children’s book in August, Haunted USA: Spine-Tingling Stories from All 50 States (Quarto/Hachette, August 2025). Heather says it’s for kids ages 8 to 12 (and families!) and provided the following description: “We’ve got spirits, yes we do! This gorgeous treasury draws on fact, folklore, and urban legend to shine a light on ghosts, ghouls, cryptids, and even a haunted carousel. Meet a chocolate-loving ghost in Iowa, a spectral blue dog in Maryland, Vermont’s tap-dancing phantom, and a headless pirate skeleton in Mississippi! With scares from all 50 states, Haunted USA is perfect for cozy evenings around Halloween, summer road trips, sleepover parties—and the really, really brave.” You can read more here!

Married classmates Adam ’89 and Tonya Byard Engst ’89 recently received the Hometown Hero award from Tompkins Weekly.

Some very sad news: Our classmate Marina Memmo lost her husband, Karl Yoder ’87, in June. Karl passed away unexpectedly at home in Delanson, NY, on Father’s Day. They had been married for 35 years and shared two children, Eli and Erminia. From his obituary: “Having grown up on a farm in West Virginia, Karl’s greatest desire was for land of his own where he could pursue his passion for farming, fishing, landscaping, and forest conservation. In 2021, Karl purchased a farm in Upstate New York and devoted himself full time to the project of transforming it into his vision of a rural haven for himself, his family, and friends.”

Cornell Alumni Affairs is coordinating a project asking alumni about their volunteer activities. You can learn more here. Several of our classmates have recently shared how they’re doing good in their communities.

Debbie Schaffel wrote, “When I left my full-time job last March, I was looking for something to do to keep me busy and give back to the Chicago community. Luckily for me, one of my friends was a volunteer at the city animal shelter, and she suggested that I apply. After a long process of vetting and training, I was finally approved in November and have been walking dogs and showing cats to prospective adopters for the past couple of months. Working with the dogs is especially gratifying, as they are so eager for treats and the ability to run around outside, which they don’t get to do if there aren’t enough volunteers to take them out. It is so gratifying to see a lonely and scared animal find their forever home, and I’m so honored that I get to be a small part of the adoption process.”

Married classmates Adam and Tonya Byard Engst are doing good through their enthusiastic volunteerism in Ithaca’s local running community, Adam as president of the Finger Lakes Runners Club and Tonya as the founding member of the club’s communications team. They recently received the Hometown Hero award from Tompkins Weekly. The paper quotes fellow club member Mia Slotnick, who nominated them for the award: “Whether you’re a first-time runner or seasoned pro, they don’t care, and they encourage everybody equally. They just want people to show up and have a good time and want to make connections with people.” Read the whole story here.

Thanks to those of you who shared your news. We’d love to hear from more classmates! Simply fill out an online news form or email one of us. ❖ Anne Czaplinski Treadwell (email Anne) | Stephanie Bloom Avidon (email Stephanie) | Lauren Kidder McGarry (email Lauren) | Kris Borovicka Gerig (email Kris) | Alumni Directory.

---

1990s

1990

Greetings! While your thoughts turn toward the winter holidays, I am still (mentally) on the Hill at Reunion #35 and extending our coverage of that fun. In the beautiful gorges of Ithaca during an unsurprisingly rainy afternoon, our class Reunion chairs and planners, Caroline Misciagna Sussman, Jeff Goldstein, Elinor Langfelder Schwind, Alysia Sinrod Reid, and Dave Coyne, hosted a meeting seeking classmates who will bring new perspectives and oversee additional opportunities for our class to connect in Ithaca, at regional events, and online.

The class was well-represented! Attending were these folks who recently volunteered time and energy contributing to Reunion 2025’s success: Bob Quinn, Chris Ciallella Brooks, BS ’92, Elyse Echtman, Helen Herrador Arco, Scott and Kristyn Benzinger Whitney, and Tim ’89 and Kartini Collier Moran. And these folks who similarly volunteered to take an active role on the class council in the upcoming term: Kim Sumner Mayer, Guadalupe Macias, Alice Alonge Kenniff, MS ’91, Christy Clark Pambianchi, Margo Ellis Christou, Carole Moran Krus, Dan and Lucy Rinehart Robin, and me, Liselle Petzen Esposito. If you know one or more of the new recruits, be sure to extend a greeting and a huge thank you! The class council will soon host an election of new officers!

Since I’m newly volunteered as a class correspondent, a brief introduction seems logical. After graduating CALS, I rushed to law school on the beach in Florida. “JD/Esq.” didn’t seem like enough letters after my name, so I also added “CPA” and spent much of my career at C&L/PwC/Navigant Consulting focused on litigation consulting and ultimately HR. That’s all behind me, as I retired about eight years ago and am currently working for $0 with the local hospital board, Scout troop, Catholic school, and YMCA advisory board, and as church music director.

I married Rich Esposito, ME ’91, in 1997. Since retiring from his career in IT consulting in data centers, Rich is also on the $0 earnings track. He’s staying fit at the YMCA with pickleball, flexing his green thumb, coaching financial budgeting, serving on the local food pantry and Catholic school boards, as well as running several men’s groups with the church. Our oldest, Marcus Esposito ’24, is at SpaceX while his brother, Dominic, eyes university graduation in ’26.

Just before Reunion, I caught-up with Chi Omega sister Sherri Appel Lassila to hike Taughannock Falls. Sherri still enjoys connecting with nature and deepening her inner peace with meditation and yoga. Her personal interests align perfectly with her executive coaching practice that delves into the heart of young leaders and enhances mindfulness, a must for the coming years.

I also had the joy of deepening ties with Chi O sister Carole Moran Krus, who is shaping the next generation at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH, teaching research methods and ethics and leading the Research Compliance Office. In what’s always been a challenging environment, her analytical talents are showcased more than ever as research navigates politically charged waters.

Carole’s trip back to the Hill was spent reconnecting with classmates, especially her Chi Omega sisters, as well as making new friends such as Kevin Kozak. Kevin is a global operations leader at the West Coast biotechnology firm Genentech. The two connected after running the Reunion 5K. “Attending Reunion isn’t only about reflecting on the time spent at Cornell. It’s also about making new connections with our classmates and Cornell today!”

Lisa Lilenfeld ’90 has joined the Cornell parent club, returning to campus a few times to install her youngest child (Class of ’28) in her old dorm for his sophomore year!

Greg Gresock added, “Although our family has strong connections to Cornell—my wife, Kathleen Vaeth ’94, has taught in the ChemE department, my sister-in-law, Michelle Vaeth ’98, is associate VP for Alumni Affairs at Cornell, and my older son will start in ChemE at Cornell this fall—this was my first Reunion back since 2010 and it was wonderful to reconnect with old and current friends, discuss our careers and futures, and reminisce about our time on the Hill.”

Exciting news for Rob Price. Youth Enrichment Brands (YEB) appointed him chief executive officer. Comprising School of Rock, U.S. Sports Camps, i9 Sports, and Streamline Brands, YEB seeks accelerated growth, deepened impact on society, and enriching the lives of its community members. Rob says, “I am thrilled to lead the world’s premier kids’ enrichment brand—transforming more than 1 million kids’ lives annually. Through athletics, arts, and discovery we seek to liberate kids from their screens and discover their confidence and resilience.” He and Sue (Portman), MRP ’91, have been married for 31 years and got to attend our 35th Reunion with their oldest son at his 5th! Sue is an active voice on combatting antisemitism and has served on the board of Cornell Hillel, Cornell Free Speech Alliance, and other national organizations.”

A little off-campus from Reunion, but still near the gorges, we learn that Stephen Yonaty has been named managing partner at the Buffalo- and Albany-based affordable housing and community development law firm of Cannon Heyman & Weiss LLP. He started at the firm in 2006 and was named a partner in 2010. Congrats, Stephen!

Lisa Lilenfeld has joined the Cornell parent club, returning to campus a few times to install her youngest child (Class of ’28) in her old dorm for his sophomore year! “It’s funny that I remember Cascadilla Hall being a prime dorm (compared to the U-Halls, I suppose), but now it’s quite a bit more worn and rugged (no AC) than I remember! Luckily, he’s a low-maintenance guy.” She’s grateful to still be close friends with freshman/sophomore-year Cascadilla roommate Erica Lemcke and freshman-year hallmate Fern Feil Kaufman ’89. “So happy to have a reason to make lots of visits to my hometown and alma mater for four years!”

Rich Kaltenbach submitted this note: “I am currently general counsel and chief administrative officer for FXSpotStream LLC, a bank-owned consortium that provides a price streaming service for institutional participants in the foreign exchange market. I live in Berkeley Heights, NJ, with my wife, Leslie, and our children, Charlotte, Sophie, and Mathis. I will be traveling a lot this year (mix of business and pleasure). Itineraries have included Hilton Head, Savannah, London, and Arizona so far this year, with trips to Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, Amsterdam, and Big Sky scheduled.” Enjoy the travels, Rich.

Reconnecting with so many incredible folks at Reunion reminds me of the mind-blowing experiences of attending Cornell all those years ago. The world opens in a way that you can never imagine when you take a brief respite to celebrate your common starting point on the Hill and see where each road has led your classmates. Won’t you drop us a note to tell us where you are on your journey? ❖ Liselle Petzen Esposito (email Liselle) | Rose Tanasugarn (email Rose) | Nancy Solomon Weiss (email Nancy) | Allan Rousselle (email Allan) | Class Facebook page | Alumni Directory.

---

1991

Hey, Class of 1991 friends! Greetings from your Ithaca-based class correspondent! As you read this, the end of the fall semester is in sight for current students and we (hopefully) are still awaiting our first snowfall. But, more importantly, your Reunion committee is in full swing for plans for our 35th Reunion next June! Mark your calendars to return to Cornell on June 4–7, 2026, and watch your email for details!

As a warm-up for all the catching up you will be doing next June, see the information below that was shared with our class via the online news form. Please keep the updates coming!

Matthew Sherman and his spouse, Kathleen Gapp, made a road trip for the Harvard/Dartmouth hockey games during the 2024–25 hockey season. They met up with their cousin Peter Slaunwhite ’74 and shared some memories. Matthew and Kathleen are looking forward to their next trip to campus for Reunion!

Classmate Chris Stuebner reports that she and her daughter Katrina manage a 4-H dog training club in Virginia. They are proud to have just graduated a service dog to his forever human. Such great work! Chris also keeps busy playing clarinet in the Fairfax Wind Symphony. Chris says her experience as a walk-on for the women’s ice hockey team was the most impactful thing about Cornell for her. She loved reconnecting with her former teammates at the 50th anniversary of the women’s ice hockey program last year.

We are so happy to hear from Johnny Tseng, who writes from his home in Hong Kong, where he runs a clothing business. He reports that his daughters are now studying abroad in the U.K. He graciously recalls that he learned resilience, courage, and honorability during his years on the Hill.

Chris Stuebner ’91 says her experience as a walk-on for the women’s ice hockey team was the most impactful thing about Cornell for her.

A bit closer to home, Jean Signorelli Spiegel writes in from Ballston Lake, NY. Jean changed careers five years ago and now works in the Town of Clifton Park Town Supervisor’s office. Jean also is enjoying a remodeling and landscaping project at a vacation home in Aurora, NY. She is happy to report that daughter Lauren just completed her first year of graduate work at Cornell (Go Big Red!), and her younger daughter Sophia has just started her freshman year at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

Classmate Sharon Prise Azurin is proud to share that her youngest daughter, Estelle ’28, is enjoying her sophomore year in the College of Human Ecology, majoring in design and environmental analysis. Estelle is a member of the equestrian team, so Sharon has enjoyed returning to campus more frequently to cheer on the team at the Oxley Equestrian Center (Let’s go Red!).

Your class correspondent Susie Curtis Schneider and husband Eric, MBA ’99, have loved living close to campus and have entertained many Cornell friends and family during the past year. Will we be able to host you at Reunion? One more reminder to make your plans NOW to come back to campus for our 35th Reunion from June 4–7. We haven’t been able to gather as a class in person since 2016 (remember COVID?), so it’s time! Can’t wait to see you all!

Thanks to those who sent in updates! Have news to share? Use the online news form or feel free to contact one of us directly. ❖ Susie Curtis Schneider (email Susie) | Evelyn Achuck Yue (email Evelyn) | Ruby Wang Pizzini (email Ruby) | Wendy Milks Coburn (email Wendy) | Joe Marraccino (email Joe) | Alumni Directory.

---

1992

David Contiguglia writes from Auburn, NY, that he has been practicing as an attorney for 29 years and caregiving for an elderly parent. He finds satisfaction in developing landscaping in his yard, establishing native plants, and improving the soil health through plant management. He recently attended the graduation of his niece Courtney Contiguglia ’25 from the psychology department with his brother, Carl ’89, MBA ’90, and Courtney’s sister, Emma Contiguglia ’23. The most impactful thing he learned while at Cornell was lifelong learning and respecting and embracing the self-expression of each human spirit.

Laura Strothmann Williams writes from a new address in New Rochelle, NY. She has worked at Ernst & Young in client experience for 21 years. The dean of Cornell’s business school, Andrew Karolyi, stopped by EY’s NYC offices to talk about business schools, trends, themes, and AI’s impact on business for the school.

Eileen Rappaport runs a luxury residential real estate business in Manhattan and Brooklyn with Douglas Elliman and would love to know if you are buying, selling, or renting in NYC or the surrounding regions. When she is not working, she travels with her 15-year-old daughter, Lily Kate. Her most recent trips were to Cape Town, Paris, London, and Italy. The most impactful thing Eileen learned at Cornell was that a person can pursue so many different areas of study—whether it becomes your career or not—and somehow that study will form you as a person. She is forever thankful for being afforded the opportunity to study at Cornell, a university that, in her opinion, offers more than any other!

Jennifer Johnson Millones ’92 is proud to serve an organization that exists for one purpose: to give 100% of its profits to help children facing adversity.

Stephanie Hochman Mollin is also enjoying the NYC life. She enjoys various cultural events and recently saw Amy Levine and Lisa Levitt ’91. She is doing the reverse commute to Queens to take care of the most diverse populations and solving people’s foot problems, keeping them independent. She has two daughters, one a junior at Duke and the other a junior at the Frank Sinatra School of Performing Arts High School.

Jennifer Johnson Millones is the chief legal officer of Newman’s Own Foundation and its subsidiaries. She is proud to serve an organization that exists for one purpose: to give 100% of its profits to help children facing adversity. Every day, she has the privilege of using her Cornell education and legal training to support the mission-driven work. She is inspired by the vision that Paul Newman had: that good food can fuel great change. Cornell taught her how to think rigorously, lead ethically, and act boldly. She writes, “It’s an honor to bring those values to life in service of children who need it most.”

John Wu is the CEO of Ava Labs, the blockchain startup founded by former Cornell computer science professor Emin Gun Sirer and two of his PhD students. Now, the company’s Avalanche blockchain platform is being used to digitize property records worth $240 billion in real estate value, the largest blockchain deed tokenization project in U.S. history. ❖ Sarah Ballow Clauss (email Sarah) | Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson (email Wilma Ann) | Jean Kintisch (email Jean) | Alumni Directory.

---

1993

Hello, classmates. Come on in, take a moment, exhale, and breathe deeply for a little well-earned break, and then … can we think about re-connecting?

Our class actually has a lot of fun together: we reminisce on our Class of 1993 Facebook page, mingle and cheer at the Thanksgiving weekend hockey game at Madison Square Garden, take in the foliage and football on campus during Homecoming, and meet (and re-meet) each other during our Reunions. There is so much room in ’93 for everyone: just like when we were students, you find your own pathway, form your own connections, and make memories—hopefully meaningful ones.

However, we are missing almost 700 email addresses for classmates, and we would love to re-invite you in! Please take a moment and join by filling out this form if you have not heard from our class recently.

Thank you to everyone who has re-connected by sending us news: Paul Haven took a break from an eventful undertaking as vice president and head of global news gathering for the Associated Press, to share that his daughter, Olivia ’28, is starting her second year as a Cornellian. Actually, so is ours! My husband, David, JD ’96, and I have two current students, Chloe ’28, a Hotelie, and Andrew ’26 in ILR. We are grateful that our kids have each other to connect with on campus, especially last fall when sadly we lost both grandfathers within three weeks of each other.

Ian Brown ’93 has a newly opened brewery and taproom: the Boulder Junction Brewing Company in Boulder Junction, WI!

On a happier note, cheers to Ian Brown as his daughter, Abigail ’21, PhD ’25, earned her doctorate in design and behavior from the College of Human Ecology. The Browns can celebrate this milestone at their own newly opened brewery and taproom: the Boulder Junction Brewing Company in Boulder Junction, WI!

Theresa Flores has created a meaningful oasis for connection and reflection, as the heart behind @yogaisresistance, a yoga practice rooted in healing, justice, and collective care. She recently earned her 200-hour yoga teacher certification through Black Swan Yoga in Dallas, a community known for its accessible and donation-based approach.

As a passionate advocate for equity and social change, Theresa brings mindfulness and movement together to create space for rest, reflection, and transformation. Her classes will center on inclusivity and accessibility, inviting people to explore yoga as a path to both personal and social liberation. Drawing from her work in advocacy and community organizing, she offers a practice that nurtures resilience while honoring the power of breath and presence. For Theresa, yoga is more than a wellness tool—it’s a radical act of resistance in a world that often demands disconnection.

Take care, (re-)connect, and please share. ❖ Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 (email Melissa) | Theresa Flores (email Theresa) | Mia Blackler (email Mia) | Alumni Directory.

---

1994

Is anyone else feeling as old as I am these days? My husband, Michael Marchant, and I are officially empty nesters, as our youngest recently began his freshman year at University of Florida. We are sad that neither he nor his big sister elected to even apply to Cornell, as they both wanted more of a big sports school! To me, sleeping on the floor of Lynah Rink to get hockey season tickets was big enough!

Great to see so many updates from my fellow ’94 alums, so let’s dive in! Mark Birtha wrote in from California, where he oversees operations at the Sacramento Hard Rock Hotel and Casino and is also “developing a 350-acre, billion-dollar masterplan of sports and entertainment for the Enterprise Rancheria tribe of Northern California.” He also shared that he and his wife, Roxana, created the Mark A. Birtha ’94 and Roxana L. Birtha Endowed Scholarship in the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration.

Andrew Ettinger shared some happy news: he and his wife, Rachel, welcomed a son, Isaac, in August 2021. “Perhaps CU Class of 2043?!” Andrew still works in advertising, “after 30 years!” When asked what was the most impactful thing you learned while at Cornell, Andrew’s response was: “to keep climbing that hill (both figuratively and literally)!”

We received a newsy update from Lisa DeLeo, who is heading back to school for her Master of Divinity at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago to become an interfaith hospital chaplain. When not in school, Lisa works as an office administrator at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation and volunteers at Maggie’s Hospice. Lisa also proudly shared, “I just got engaged in a hot air balloon over the Agafay Desert in Morocco to my beloved of 24 years!” Cornell, she says, “opened my mind to limitless possibilities and I’m eternally grateful!”

Derek Edinger, ME ’95, and his wife, Stacey (Girard) ’95, are making waves in the craft beer world with their Belgian-style Brewery Ardennes in Geneva, NY. Featured in Cornellians, their story blends entrepreneurial spirit, Finger Lakes flavor, and a whole lot of French bulldog charm. From gold-medal-winning ales to hosting the adorable FrenchieCon event, the Edingers have built a destination that’s as welcoming as it is award-winning. Raise a glass to Derek and Stacey—and check out the full article here.

For the rest of our column, I am sharing content received by Alumni Affairs, as they recently coordinated a project asking alumni about their volunteer activities. You can learn more about the project here.

I just got engaged in a hot air balloon over the Agafay Desert in Morocco to my beloved of 24 years!

Lisa DeLeo ’94

Tara Schlesiona Dircks wrote, “I volunteer as part of the executive board at the North Shore Holiday House (NSHH), a tuition-free summer sleepaway camp in Huntington, NY. The camp provides two-week camp sessions for low-income girls (ages 7–15) on Long Island. The camp designs summer programs to inspire and empower young girls and introduce them to swimming, sports, music, and other activities. As a volunteer, I help prepare the cabins and campgrounds for the summer campers.

“With the other volunteer board members, I help organize fundraisers for the camp, such as our annual spring benefit and winter holiday house tour. I help brainstorm summer field trips for the campers and ideas for meaningful programming. We also operate a thrift store to help raise funds to keep the camp tuition free. Campers return year after year, as they’ve had such meaningful experiences at NSHH. It’s a heart-warming place to volunteer. I’ve always felt inspired to give back to my community and volunteer, something I was able to do at Cornell through the Cornell Tradition program.”

Carol Szeto wrote, “As the country manager for India at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, I had the opportunity to lead an innovative collaboration with Unilever, aimed at protecting children under 5 from preventable illnesses. This project combined two of the most critical interventions for child survival: handwashing with soap and immunization. Simple handwashing could reduce diarrheal diseases by over 40% and respiratory infections by 30%, and vaccines play a crucial role in preventing some diseases.

“In a country like India, where child mortality rates remain a significant concern, the combined power of these interventions highlight the potential for impact. The project reached more than 2.8 million people across more than 6,000 villages over a three-year period, and demonstrated positive shifts in people’s knowledge, attitude, and adoption of healthy practices. The experience was rewarding. We did not just promote health; we nurtured hope for families and ensured that every child has the chance to thrive. Since this project, I have taken on a larger role as CEO of Save the Children Hong Kong, an international NGO. My journey continued, to make a contribution for vulnerable children around the world.”

Mike Rapolas Jr. wrote, “Bowling has been one of the biggest parts of my life—first bowling myself at age 4 and becoming a student coach when I was 14. I have been coaching youth bowling now for over 35 years, and have run my own program in Ewing, NJ, since 2002. At the same time, I have been running annual youth tournaments in the region where I live, where I have been fortunate to offer around $100K in total scholarships over the years to help offset some of the costs of their post-high school education, whether college, trade school, or other endeavors.

“While I still bowl myself (albeit tough physically at this point in my life), the most rewarding part of the sport for me now is working with the youth bowlers, helping them develop, offering scholarships, and seeing their successes in both bowling and life for years to come.” Best wishes to you and your family for a happy and healthy holiday season! ❖ Jennifer Rabin Marchant (email Jennifer) | Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik (email Dineen) | Dika Lam (email Dika) | Alumni Directory.

---

1995

It’s getting close to the end of the calendar year as you read this, but, as I write it, our Facebook page is abuzz with classmates dropping off their kids at Cornell! Jeannette Hwang’s son and Jonathan and Amy Melnikoff Rosenberg’s daughter are freshmen, while Pete and Tracy DeJoseph DeBellis, Monique Carrero-Tagle, Helen McMenimen Ross, Stephanie Lessans Geller, and Melissa Biren Singer all have children who are sophomores; Colleen Kelly, Beth Rodgers Greenwood, and Shari Blumenthal Mintz all have juniors; and Jennifer Dubin Ludgin’s son is a senior. Meanwhile, Jennifer Gibson ’96 has an undergrad alum and current Vet student in her seventh year on the Hill. She adds, “I accidentally moved back to Ithaca when my daughter started at Cornell during COVID. I have enjoyed this place so much more as a parent and local. Ithaca is gorges!”

In other close-to-Ithaca news, check out this article that ran here in Cornellians recently about Stacey Girard Edinger and her husband, Derek ’94, ME ’95, and their brewery in Geneva, NY.

Alejandro Juárez Crawford and Miriam Plavin-Masterman ’93 have published a book, One Size Fits None: Time for an Entrepreneurial Revolution, which they describe as follows: “We increasingly live and work in one-size-fits-none systems. When you hear ‘your needs are very important to us,’ you know you are in one of these systems. It is magical thinking to believe they will suddenly become responsive—even to address the biggest crises of our time. Time for a new plan.”

Fellow author Michelle Knudsen also recently published a book—her new middle-grade fantasy novel, Into the Wild Magic, about adolescent girlhood, navigating friendship and trust, and becoming the hero of your own story.

Tiffany Willoughby-Herard sent in news from Long Beach, CA, where she loves living near the ocean, recently became a full professor at the University of California, Irvine, started a publishing company, is publishing a book on educational human rights in Africa, and received the Nathan Hare Award from the Council of Black Studies. When she isn’t doing amazing things professionally, she is spending time with her 16- and 17-year-old sons, traveling, and reading Octavia Butler. When asked what was the most impactful thing she learned while at Cornell, she responded, “A library is a treasure, an archive is a prize jewel, and a librarian is a codebreaker.”

Another recent award winner is Wayfair co-founder Niraj Shah, who was honored in the Boston Globe’s fourth annual Tech Power Players 50, a list of the most influential, accomplished, and interesting people working across technology in New England.

Wayfair co-founder Niraj Shah ’95 was honored in the Boston Globe’s fourth annual Tech Power Players 50.

And Merrill Lynch Wealth Management private wealth advisor Erik Bjerke was recently named to the 2025 Barron’s “Top 100 Financial Advisors” list. He is a senior partner at Merrill’s Global Corporate & Institutional Advisory Services and has been named to this list every year since 2021. Erik lives in Atlanta with his wife, Tori, and four children (his twins graduated high school this year). Erik is actively involved in the community and volunteers with Purposity, Andee’s Army, Buckhead Church, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and has helped found two startup operating charities. He writes that the most impactful thing he learned while at Cornell was to “think beyond yourself.”

After 11 years at the CDC National Center for Health Statistics, Denys Lau is excited and honored to be named the 15th editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Public Health. At CDC/NCHS, he is proud of the international and national public health data standards and monitoring programs he has led with other brilliant and dedicated federal colleagues. As the chief editor of AJPH, Denys will continue to champion accurate, reliable, unbiased, and trusted data and research that must be the foundation for informing public health policies and actions.

Catherine Charlton is the CEO of Musicopia and Dancing Classrooms Philly, bringing equitable access to arts education through music and dance education and enrichment to over 24,000 students annually, mostly from low-income families. Their work has been recognized with the national Adolf Busch Award for social justice through music and with millions of dollars of grants this year for antiviolence, overdose prevention, community healing, and holistic student supports, including $600K from the City of Philadelphia for this work in 2025. Musicopia celebrated its 50th anniversary with “Drumlines at the Symphony: An All-Star Celebration Concert” on May 31, 2025 at the premier Miller Theater in Philadelphia.

Last but definitely not least, Diego Valderrama shared, “Over the past several years I have served as an assistant coach and then as a coach for the Little League Challenger Division. This division serves children and young adults who are disabled. My son is disabled and began participating as a player over 10 years ago. For the past few years, I decided to be an active participant to support my son and other children in this great activity. The kids are so happy to get a hit, to score a run, and to do so in a supportive, loving environment.” Having a friend with a disabled child, I’m familiar myself with Challenger Baseball and have seen how incredible it is for the kids’ morale. Keep up the good work, Diego!

And keep those updates coming! Happy holidays to all. See you in 2026! ❖ Alison Torrillo French (email Alison) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory.

---

1996

As publisher of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Andrew Morse has been making headlines recently for his decision to make the publication digital-only. As Cornellians reported, “The New York Times headline summed it up neatly: ‘Atlanta Journal-Constitution to Quit Print Cold Turkey.’ After nearly a century and a half, it reported in late August, the venerable Southern daily would stop producing a print edition at the end of 2025.”

Andrew said, “We’ve made this decision from a position of strength: we want to take the success we’re having and accelerate it. And the best way to do that is to let go of anything that’s holding us back from investing in the future.”

When asked why digital is a better way to share information than print, he responded, “Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1440. And the fact is, printing newspapers, putting them on delivery trucks, wrapping them in plastic bags, and driving them to people’s doorsteps—it hasn’t been the most effective way to distribute the news in a long time.

“What I keep saying to our subscribers, the community, and others in the industry is: ‘I love print, but I love journalism more.’ And the reality is, it’s not the medium—the actual paper—we’re attached to. It’s the journalism. This decision will enable us to invest all our money in the journalism and the best delivery system.” You can read the full story here. ❖ Class of 1996 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1997

Samara Friedman writes, “I volunteer at Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, for their ‘Live From’ program. They sent a film crew to record a few of my surgeries, and once a month I go there to show the procedures and answer questions about the procedures themselves, the patients, the training, and life as a pediatric orthopaedic surgeon and mother. The participants are usually children from local high schools and vocational schools.”

Jessica Crolick Rolph, MBA ’04, was recently featured in a Cornellians article for her company, Lovevery, which has developed a line of no-tech, early childhood toys grounded in science on early childhood development. According to the story, “Rolph recalls watching where and how her toddler son was playing—usually in one spot in the corner where his toys were, with many of them lighting up and making sounds at the touch of a button. ‘I found myself questioning what we surround our babies with,’ she says, ‘wondering if we’re giving them the opportunities they’re seeking.’

“The Boise, ID-based mother of three had read a doctoral dissertation on the neurological development of infants that described how the brain’s intricate communication network is largely formed by experiences in the first three years of life.

“The dissertation had described how activities like bringing babies around the house—showing them how to turn lights on and off or how faucets work, for example—could help create more meaningful, and lasting, early development opportunities. ‘He would just light up,’ she says of incorporating the interactive sessions into her son’s playtime. ‘He was so focused and interested, and I felt really connected to him.’

“In 2017, Rolph and a co-founder launched Lovevery (pronounced “Love-every”). Its first product: the award-winning Play Gym, which targets development during a baby’s first year. ‘Our products were intentionally designed to support more nuanced developmental stages,’ she says of Lovevery’s early offerings, ‘from a newborn seeking high contrast for visual development through rolling over and sitting up.’” You can read the full story here!

Michael Tessler has written Keys That Fit, which, according to the book’s blurb, is “a compelling exploration of narrower piano keyboards that offer ergonomic benefits to pianists with smaller hands—a significant majority of the population. The book draws on extensive research into hand spans and personal experience of the struggles caused by conventional keyboards for smaller hands, as well as years of documented research and development into the design of narrower keyboards. It offers an in-depth look at an innovative, common-sense solution that benefits many musicians, including pianists, teachers, students, and enthusiasts.”

Michael is a devoted jazz musician who began playing saxophone in elementary school and continued through his undergraduate and graduate studies at Cornell, performing semi-professionally in a 20-piece big band in Ithaca, NY. After leaving Cornell, he shifted his musical focus to jazz piano, inspired by his longtime admiration for Oscar Peterson, who was graced with unusually large hands.

His passion for playing Oscar’s music, which incorporates expansive chords spanning 10 or more piano keys, led Michael to discover the possibility of unconventional piano keyboards with narrower keys. Michael’s interest in the arts extends beyond music to his career as an award-winning professional architectural photographer. In his free time he continues his dedication to jazz piano, with the help of his custom keyboard that fits his hands to perfection. ❖ Class of 1997 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1998

Do you have any life updates to share with us? How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! ❖ Class of 1998 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

1999

Our very own Michael Kotutwa Johnson was recently featured in a Cornellians article for his incredible work spreading knowledge about Indigenous farming techniques. According to the story, “When it comes to how much rainfall is needed to grow corn, Michael Kotutwa Johnson is well aware of the conventional wisdom: 30 inches per year. But in Arizona, Indigenous farmers have grown thriving crops with a mere six inches of rainfall for thousands of years.

“The practice, called Hopi dryland farming, can produce not just corn but also beans, melon, squash, and cotton. And while the techniques are not widely known beyond the Hopi community, Johnson is working to change that. A Hopi tribe member, Johnson is on the faculty at the University of Arizona, where he’s an assistant professor of Indigenous resilience and a Cooperative Extension specialist in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment.

“He conducts research and has written academic papers on dryland farming, and works to spread awareness of its benefits. Its techniques, he says, are designed around maximizing and conserving soil moisture, and farmers don’t use herbicides or pesticides. ‘Hopi and other Indigenous crops are raised to fit the environment,’ says Johnson, who majored in agriculture in CALS and earned a doctorate in natural resources from the University of Arizona. ‘The environment is not manipulated to fit the crops.’” You can read the full story here. ❖ Class of 1999 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2000s

2000

Hello out there. I hope you are well and safe as you read this column. As the seasons change in nature, we also experience changes in our lives—some sudden, some so gradual that we hardly notice how we’ve changed. I’d love to hear what changes life has brought your way.

Nancy Poon believes that “kismet” brought an unexpected opportunity her way. When she walked by the Monterey Bay Aquarium, she thought, “Wouldn’t it be cool to volunteer there?” She later saw an ad on a social media page for an info session to become a trainee, joined the session, and now has 250 hours of volunteering under her belt.

Scott Strazik has received the prestigious honor of being named among the Boston Globe’s fourth annual Tech Power Players 50. This is a list of the most influential, accomplished, and interesting people working across technology in New England. As the most innovative leaders across AI, quantum computing, consumer tech, cybersecurity, health tech, sustainability, and beyond, they have demonstrated exemplary contributions to the industry and considerable career impact on technology and business.

Alumni Affairs is coordinating a project asking alumni about their volunteering activities. You can learn more here—and submit your own story as well!

Some wonderful things are happening in the lives of our fellow alumni. If you have any news you’d like to share, you can contact me or submit an online news form. Take care. ❖ Denise Williams (email Denise) | Alumni Directory.

---

2001

Our 25th Reunion is now roughly six months away! Are you getting ready?! When was the last time you were on campus? While a lot has stayed the same, if you haven’t been in a few years, you’ll see many changes. New buildings dot the campus—particularly around the engineering quad and baseball field. Collegetown has many new “high rise” apartment buildings, and Collegetown Bagels has moved across the street into a larger space! Come and experience it for yourself. We’ll see you there: June 4–7, 2026.

This is a great time to get reacquainted and reconnected with Cornell. If you’re interested in serving as a Class of 2001 officer, take a look at our class website for the position descriptions. As of fall 2025, our team includes: co-presidents Lora Epstein and Michael Hanson, MPA ’02; co-vice presidents and membership chairs Malinda Lesko and Sarah Binder Mehta; communications co-chairs Nicole Neroulias Gupte and James Gutow; Cornell Annual Fund representatives Stephen McBrady and Troy Townsend; Reunion co-chairs Lorraine Medeiros and Marisa Laks; Reunion registration chair Claire Ackerman; treasurer Praveen Anumolu, ME ’03; and class council representatives Claire Ackerman, Praveen Anumolu, Tara Benedict, and Jeremy Werner. Secretary and affinity chair are both vacant.

Well, the summer certainly flew by. I had the chance to see many Cornell friends at the wedding of Sean King ’02, ME ’04, and Abby Schectman. We all spent a great weekend in New Hope, PA, around the ceremony on Saturday night. It was a lot of fun connecting with Cornell alums, primarily across the classes of 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Cornellians recently published a feature on an amazing accomplishment by our classmate Alan Nawoj. Earlier this year, Alan completed the World Marathon Challenge, which consists of seven marathons … all in one week … each on a different continent! Not only that, but Alan finished fourth overall, second in the men’s division, and first among U.S. competitors. How fast did Alan run these marathons? He finished with an average marathon time of 3 hours and 25 seconds! The flight to each continent was the only break between marathons, and Alan estimates he slept 20 hours over the course of the week. He found the time to train and race after his tech startup was acquired. Apparently Alan is no stranger to extreme fitness achievements. From 2014–18, he held the Guinness World Record for fastest aggregate marathon time on the seven continents (21:55:02)! I’m tired just thinking about this. Check out the full story in Cornellians.

Marisa Lizak ’01 not only completed the Badwater 135 this year, but finished in first place among women! Badwater is a running race covering 135 miles non-stop from Death Valley, CA, to Mt. Whitney, CA.

In another extreme athletic achievement, Marisa Lizak not only completed the Badwater 135 this year, but finished in first place among women! Badwater is a running race covering 135 miles non-stop from Death Valley, CA, to Mt. Whitney, CA. The start line is at Badwater Basin, which marks the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet BELOW sea level, and finishes at Whitney Portal at 8,300 feet elevation. The course is a roller coaster, with multiple ups and downs as mountain peaks are crossed along the way. Congratulations on an incredible and grueling achievement!

Speaking of big commitments, Nicole Neroulias Gupte took an informal poll on our Class of 2001 Facebook page of classmates who have worked for the same employer for more than 15 years. Apparently we have a very dedicated class, with many far surpassing 15 years. I count myself in that group, with 22 years currently at Barclays. Phillip Smith spent 20 years in the Navy, followed by three and a half as a contractor. He has spent the past year at the Fed. Julie Contino, MA ’02, has spent almost 17 years at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC (I’ll refrain from a corny joke about Night at the Museum)—must be a fun place to go to work!

Inclusive of an acquisition, Dawn Forness Mazzanti has spent 23 years at FICO, all with the same software team! Sara Beth Mullaney has spent 17 years in the Army Veterinary Corps—three years from eligibility for retirement. Tom Crone has spent 23 years at Arcadis. Josh Blackler is starting his 19th year at Disney. In the lead, Rich Katz has spent 24 years at Deloitte! And, rounding out the group, Nicole’s husband, Salil Gupte, has worked at Boeing for 16 years. Very impressive to see the many of you managing long and successful careers with one company.

To share news or memories, please email either of us, visit our website, like the Class of 2001 Facebook page, join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group, and check out our Class of 2001 Instagram page for great photos and stories. ❖ James Gutow (email James) | Nicole Neroulias Gupte (email Nicole) | Alumni Directory.

---

2002

Jelynne Jardiniano Morse, BS ’15, writes, “Since January 2023, I have volunteered as a Studio ‘Crit’ for Cornell Tech.” According to the Cornell Tech website, “Crits are a mainstay of the Studio program, which allow faculty and practitioners, who have extensive industry and entrepreneurial experience, to advise and help improve students’ work.”

Jelynne continues, “Using my current tech experience and entrepreneurial background, I provide graduate students with feedback on the next steps to achieve product validation.”

“Sarah Spain grew up playing sports—and loving a good joke,” reports a recent Cornellians story. “For two decades, the sports journalist has forged an award-winning career by combining the two, while paving the way for other women to thrive in her male-dominated industry.

“The Arts & Sciences alum hosts Good Game with Sarah Spain, the first-ever daily podcast devoted to women’s sports. The show features Spain’s wide-ranging conversations with her guests—on topics from life after pro soccer to the allure of a WNBA fantasy league. She also delves into social issues, on subjects like mental health, juggling athletics and motherhood, and the intersection of women’s sports and LGBTQ rights.

“Spain does it all while being her own witty self. She calls her fans ‘Slices’—a callout to the orange slices that are a standard snack for youth sports teams—and closes each episode with the same salty sign-off. ‘At the end of every game in sports, you’re going to say “good game” to most people—but there’s that one player you don’t want to say it to, because you hate them,’ Spain explains with a laugh. ‘So we say “good game” to our guest, “good game” to a team that won something—and “f-you” to whatever we’re mad about that day.’”

Megan Ronco Hochbein writes, “Inspired by my time working at what was known as the Public Service Center on campus, my family and I are committed to actively volunteering within our community. We have long welcomed and supported the refugee and immigrant community, helping to set up apartments and organize donations. Monthly, my oldest daughter and I distribute food through the state’s largest drive-through pantry. And as a family, we foster dogs through our local humane society. Puppies are our favorite to foster!” ❖ Class of 2002 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2003

We recently heard from Phil Mazo. His new docu-comedy, Replay, is about a man seeking redemption over a humiliating TV appearance from his childhood. “It has achieved nationwide theatrical distribution, screening before feature films at hundreds of theaters across the country via Spotlight Cinema Networks’ curated preshow. It was also an official selection at Palm Springs International ShortFest, Montclair Film Festival, and RiverRun International Film Festival, and will have its international premiere in September at Calgary International Film Festival.” Congratulations, Phil!

Congratulations also to Amy Jo Burns on her forthcoming book! Her fourth book, Wait for Me, will be published on March 3, 2026. The novel follows a young folk singer who, at the height of her career in 1973, gives the performance of her life and then vanishes without a trace. ❖ Candace Lee Chow, PhD ’14 (email Candace) | Jon Schoenberg, ME ’03, PhD ’11 (email Jon) | Alumni Directory.

---

2004

Greetings, Class of ’04. Please take a moment to send us an online news form—or send me a copy of your holiday letter! We’d love to stay in touch. ❖ Class of 2004 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2005

Alumni Affairs recently coordinated a project to find out how alumni are living the ideal of doing the “greatest good” in their communities. Below are some snippets of what our classmates have reported. If you’d like to add your own story, please do so here!

Nathaniel Bank serves as a volunteer pro bono attorney with JustCause, providing free legal representation to low-income residents in the Rochester, NY, area facing eviction or other legal needs.

When Rachel Doyle was a high school junior, she started GlamourGals, in honor of her grandmother, to bring joy to seniors and alleviate their feelings of loneliness. What started as a personal project has now grown into a nationwide movement with over 10,000 teen volunteers making a difference in their communities. Now, with 25+ years of experience as a CEO and social entrepreneur, Rachel has expanded it to 31 states and 150 communities across North America. She’s been featured on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” the “Today” show, and “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” and in the New York Times, and she has spoken at Harvard, Cornell, and USC about leadership and making an impact.

Rachel’s work has earned her some major awards, including the first CosmoGirl of the Year and the Richard C. Cornuelle Social Entrepreneurship Innovation Award. Her vision? To build a strong, lasting connection between teens and seniors—one makeover, smile, and conversation at a time.

Adam Gomez volunteers for Corazon Ministries, an outreach program for underserved persons who are unhoused or in active substance use. He helps with preparing meals, providing harm reduction services, and developing administrative best practices for gathering and retaining data required for grant reporting. He also volunteers as a peer recovery coach for students involved in the University of Texas at San Antonio Collegiate Recovery Program—where he facilitates recovery meetings, plans recovery-related activities, and supports students in defining and strengthening their path of recovery. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod (email Jessica) | Hilary Johnson King (email Hilary) | Alumni Directory.

---

2006 & 2007

How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Classes of 2006 & 2007 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2008

We hope that 2025 has gone well for everyone and that the year continues to be a happy and healthy one for all of you, as well as your family and friends!

We received a few updates from our classmates. Ajemo Haltom shared that he is working as a manager in the information technology department at CBORD in Ithaca. He also has four children, ages 5–11, who keep him busy!

Nadia Rodriguez let Alumni Affairs know about her volunteer activities and shared, “I’m a cosmetic dentist here in NYC. Cosmetic dentistry involves an art and science to bring teeth to their best health and function. The cosmetic work is a byproduct of restoring teeth to good health. Prevention and patient education is the best (and least expensive) way to improve oral health in society. I decided it would be best to teach more people about good oral hygiene by teaching young children at the Lutheran Social Services of New York in the Bronx. On April 24, 2025, I visited their preschool and spoke to the children about oral hygiene techniques and good foods to protect teeth, and also shared that chewing sugar-free gum is actually good for your teeth! The children participated in the conversation and loved the toothbrush goody bags I gave out.”

Please continue to send your news in to us! We want all of your updates … any exciting winter plans? Write in and let us know about major life changes or how you’ve kept busy recently. We’d love to hear from you and give you your 15 minutes of Cornell fame! We also hope that some of you have been supporting Cornell and our class by paying your class dues and checking out Ways to Give—if you haven’t, now is your chance. ❖ Libby Boymel (email Libby) | Alumni Directory.

---

2009

Patrick Castrenze, BS ’08, writes, “I am the founder and clinical director of the College Therapy Center, a mental health clinic committed to providing counseling services for college students and young adults residing in Minnesota. I am also a mentor and board member for the Catch A Break! foundation, which provides four-year, $10K+ annual college scholarships to Minnesota college students who have limited financial resources and high academic achievement.”

If you have any news to share, please reach out! How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2009 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2010s

2010

Kevin Gibson recently wrote an essay for Cornellians about how practicing yoga helped him regain his flow. In it, he writes, “Ironically, I once scoffed at the thought of practicing yoga, as I was unimpressed by the way in which it was represented in the U.S. The studios, the yoga pants, and the culture felt inauthentic—not to mention that almost none of the people whom I saw practicing it looked like me.

“After attending my first class, which felt like a series of ways to lightly stretch my body, I remember saying to myself, ‘I’d rather just go to the gym.’ My perception of yoga completely changed after my first visit to India in 2022.” You can read his full essay here. ❖ Class of 2010 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2011

Becky Cripps Rosenow writes, “In 2007, I joined the Gift of Life bone marrow registry via a donor drive at Willard Straight Hall. This year, I was matched with a cancer patient and became one of the approximately 0.2% of registered volunteers to donate peripheral blood stem cells! How inspiring that this donor drive, sponsored and hosted by a Cornell student organization, led to someone’s life being saved almost 20 years later.”

Becky adds, “I am a first-generation college student and have been so grateful to have access to Cornell’s resources, including our incredible alumni network, as I carve out my own unique career path.”

Mari Rossi shares, “I started a mission-based winery with three friends called E3 Wines. All proceeds from wine sales are donated back into communities that are underrepresented in the wine industry.”

According to the website, the three Es stand for educate, elevate, and evolve. “Our mission is to create a world where diversity is celebrated and social injustices are eradicated. We strive to educate, empower, and inspire individuals and communities, fostering a culture of inclusivity and equality. Through our platform, we aim to elevate marginalized voices, promote understanding, and drive positive change for a more just and harmonious society.”

Julia Momosé ’11’s Chicago bar, Kumiko, was named the World’s Best Bar at the 2025 Spirited Awards!

Julia Momosé’s Chicago bar, Kumiko, was named the World’s Best Bar at the 2025 Spirited Awards! According to an article in Forbes, “Cofounded in 2018 by acclaimed bartender Julia Momosé and local restaurateurs Cara and Noah Sandoval, Kumiko began garnering accolades for its minimalist food and drinks almost immediately, including a 2019 Michelin star for its original chef, Mariya Russell, the first Black woman to be awarded a Michelin star.

“The 36-year-old Momosé, who was born and raised in Japan, was fascinated by Japanese rituals surrounding eating and drinking from an early age, and was inspired by watching her mother entertain at home. While attending Cornell University, she took jobs in restaurants and bars, eventually settling in Baltimore, where she continued her hospitality education, most notably at Rye. From there, she moved to Chicago, where she became ‘bar chef’ at the Aviary, the groundbreaking cocktail lounge founded by Grant Achatz.

“Inspired by Japanese minimalism—kumiko is a delicate style of woodworking that requires no nails or glue—Momosé developed the restaurant’s cocktail menu, including a selection of ‘spiritless’ drinks. In 2022, Kumiko received the Exceptional Cocktails Award from Michelin.

“Accepting the evening’s final award before a standing ovation at New Orleans’ Fillmore theater, Momosé spoke movingly of visiting New York City in her twenties. ‘I remember trying to find home when I was there—and I found Angel’s Share,’ she said, recalling the beloved Japanese-inspired East Village speakeasy, which helped her appreciate a sense of community and ‘people who were sharing a little bit of themselves through food and drink.’” ❖ Class of 2011 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2012

Nicole Corey Lotfalla and her husband, Peter, welcomed their first child, Lucas Nicholas, on June 1, 2025 in New York City. Nicole and Peter are overjoyed to welcome him into their family.

Please take a moment to fill out the online news form! ❖ Peggy Ramin (email Peggy) | Alumni Directory.

---

2013

Greetings, Class of ’13. Please take a moment to send us an online news form—or send me a copy of your holiday letter! We’d love to stay in touch. ❖ Rachael Schuman Fassler (email Rachael) | Alumni Directory.

---

2014

Hello, Class of 2014! I hope that you are enjoying a great end to 2025 and a happy start to the holiday season! Please consider sharing news with me in 2026 to be included in an upcoming edition of Class Notes. ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young (email Samantha) | Alumni Directory.

---

2015

I hope you had a wonderful summer! Our classmates have been busy! Jessica Morris is volunteering as a college advising mentor and academic coach through an organization called UPchieve, which democratizes access to quality academic support and college admission guidance for low-income high school students by offering free tutoring sessions online.

Jessica says, “To date, I have supported students in 348 tutoring and advising sessions for more than 200 hours of instruction, earning the President’s Volunteer Service Award for calendar years 2023 and 2024. This is a mission and organization that I ardently support because I understand that not all students have access to college guidance and academic tutoring in their local communities, and that affordability is frequently a barrier as well. By volunteering with UPchieve, I am helping to level the playing field for access to opportunities for low-income students nationwide, and have done so with tangible impact and outcomes.”

Princess Swan shares, “I volunteered at my church’s childcare program!” Geraldine Ortega, BA ’20, has begun her PGY-1 year of residency in internal medicine at Englewood Hospital in New Jersey. Geraldine is also working as the administrative director of the Tirop Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates clinical and surgical opportunities for internal medicine graduates in Kenya.

“As a proud Puerto Rican and first-generation doctor, my journey has always been guided by a strong commitment to service and a passion for health equity,” Geraldine said. “Having grown up in an underserved community myself, I understand firsthand how social, financial, and language barriers can prevent people from accessing quality healthcare. These personal experiences fuel my passion for advocacy and global health, and they’re what continue to drive me today. As I begin residency and pursue a future fellowship, I carry with me the lessons I first learned at Cornell: lead with purpose, make a meaningful impact, and never forget the communities that shaped you.” ❖ Caroline Flax (email Caroline) | Alumni Directory.

---

2016–18

How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Classes of 2016–18 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2019

Two of our classmates were recently featured in Cornellians stories! Dairy influencer Hailey Pipher grew up on her family’s 60-cow farm in Upstate New York, where she helped care for the animals and maintain the property. According to the story, “The CALS alum is a social media influencer who posts under the handle @shelikesmilk on TikTok and Instagram. She boasts more than 330,000 followers across her platforms—with upwards of 740,000 likes on TikTok alone.

“Working in the food, lifestyle, and wellness spaces, Pipher creates a variety of stylishly curated content—including recipes, videos, and educational info about dairy farming and production. In her video series ‘What Can’t Milk Do?,’ for instance, she demonstrates how the staple can be used to create many other foods—from ice cream and cheese to an easy-to-prepare caramel sauce.

“In 2018–19, while still an undergrad, Pipher served as New York’s Dairy Princess—spending her weekends promoting the industry at events around the state. ‘Milk and dairy are delicious, have great stories of being created by families, and are made locally,’ Pipher says. ‘We have everything going for us, and I want to see us capitalize on that.’” You can read the full story here.

In 2018–19, while still an undergrad, Hailey Pipher ’19 served as New York’s Dairy Princess.

And Michelle Shin’s personal essay about her experiences surviving a rare brain tumor was published in September. In it, she writes, “In 2019, I graduated from Cornell with achievements that reflected my strong work ethic and motivation. Immediately afterward, I relocated to Washington, DC, and joined a mission-driven consulting firm that focused on advancing outcomes-driven environmental finance.

“The Cornellian in me strived to be an overachieving, ‘perfect’ employee by working nights and weekends. These long hours paid off with not only a quick promotion but also high regard from the C-suite executives. But this wasn’t enough. I kept striving for bigger and better—soon joining top-tier consulting companies and earning respect, admiration, and trust from leaders and clients alike.

“My 80-hour workweeks allowed me to feel incredibly productive and successful, and I was proud to be a treasured employee. Little did they all know that I was running off of complete burnout—and a rare form of brain tumor. In fact, I live with a tumor so rare that I have been told by my neuro-oncologist teams at Johns Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health that I am an international sample size of one.” You can read her essay here. ❖ Class of 2019 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2020s

2020

If you have any life updates, please reach out to share! How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! ❖ Class of 2020 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2021

Michelle Glauberzon writes, “Through work I was able to take the time to volunteer in a local park, and it was great how we were able to come together to clean up through weeding and mulching a community garden. Something that would have taken a park employee a full day of work only took us a couple of hours.”

Luis Pablo Delgadillo is the founder of the University Preparedness Program (UPP) in El Paso, TX, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to empowering first-generation middle and high school students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to navigate the path to college and beyond. “As the director of UPP, I volunteer my time to help students prepare for the PSAT/SAT, apply for scholarships, and engage in community service. Our mission is to address the unique challenges faced by first-generation students by providing comprehensive support through college readiness workshops, mentorship, leadership development, and academic resources.

“UPP focuses on building a foundation of college awareness, application guidance, and personal growth. By partnering with local school districts we aim to expand access to higher education opportunities and create long-term, sustainable impact in our community. Through individualized support and community engagement, UPP equips students with the tools to succeed academically and socially as they transition to higher education. We believe that every student, regardless of background, should have the opportunity to pursue their educational dreams.”

Savanna Lim, BS ’20, shares, “In my spare time, I serve as a Fulbright Alumni Ambassador and travel across the country to encourage others who may not have thought of themselves as typical candidates to apply for Fulbright Awards! Similarly, I am also on the board of Fulbright Lotus, an organization that encourages Asian American and Pacific Islander students to apply for awards, provides mentorship and resources, and puts on events for potential Fulbrighters.” ❖ Class of 2021 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2022

Hello, Class of ’22! This is your space to share your news—big or small—with your fellow Big Red alumni. Did you travel anywhere new this year? Have you started a new job? Adopted any new pets? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 2022 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2023

In August 2024, Ethan Greenberg joined the National Drought Mitigation Center as a graduate research assistant. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in natural resource sciences with a focus in climate assessment and impacts.

Ethan was the science curriculum consultant for a new PBS show, “Weather Hunters,” which aired in September. Each 22-minute episode follows the adventures of 8-year-old weather detective Lily Hunter and her family, and aims to support kids’ understanding of earth science and meteorology. ❖ Class of 2023 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

2024 & 2025

How are you planning to spend the winter months? Will you be visiting any family or friends—or enjoying the season by hunkering down at home? Whether your news is ordinary or extraordinary, we want to hear from you! Please take a moment to send us an online news form. ❖ Class of 2024 & 2025 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

---

Grad

Agriculture and Life Sciences

Lee Cadesky, MS ’15, has a new book coming out about food science, history, and technology. Grub: Why We Eat, Why It Matters, and Real Solutions to Transform Our Food for the Future will be available in June 2026. Aimed at a general audience, the book covers forces that shape the past, present, and future of food including proteins, genetics, biotechnology, microbiology, anthropology, trade, and technology. Lee is a graduate of the Department of Food Science and Technology, where he is a former lecturer.

Karianne Kapfer, MS ’24, was interviewed for a story in Ecology and Evolution that centered on people with disabilities who have careers in STEM. In the feature, she discussed her PhD research on right whales, her passion for marine life, her mentors, and her struggles with hEDS, the hypermobility form of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Karianne closed with this: “Providing free and accessible opportunities for kids to see themselves in science can be life-changing. Many children may never envision a place for themselves in STEM (I know I didn’t, and seeing another scientist in this series who has EDS was life-changing), due to the cost, lack of accommodations, and/or under-representation. Offering inclusive outreach programs and mentorship, working at local events, and/or giving presentations to local schools is the perfect way to provide accessible entry points into science. By doing this, you could change a child’s life while working to make the scientific community stronger, more diverse, and more just.”

---

Architecture, Art, and Planning

Tom Campanella, MLA ’91, a professor of city and regional planning at Cornell, is the author of Designing the American Century: The Public Landscapes of Clarke and Rapuano, 1915–1965, a book about two fellow alumni who studied landscape architecture in the early 20th century and went on to work on a multitude of massive New Deal-era projects in and around New York City. Tom’s research describes how the work of Gilmore Clarke 1913 and Michael Rapuano 1927 on parks, parkways, highways, housing, and urban renewal projects helped modernize the New York City metro area while also creating some of the iconic landscapes we see today.

---

Arts and Sciences

William Brice, MST ’68, PhD ’71, writes, “In retirement, I continue to do professional work in the history of geology and the history of the oil and gas industry.” He recently published a biography titled Cornell’s First Geologist: Charles Frederick Hartt, Explorer Geologist in North and South America. This is the first biography of Professor Hartt, who founded the geology department in 1868, traveled with students in Brazil in the early 1970s, and started the first geological survey of Brazil in 1875. William is a professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh. He adds, “My grandson serves in the U.S. Navy stationed in San Diego, and this coming September our granddaughter is beginning a two-year master’s program at Memorial University in St. Johns, Newfoundland.”

Luis Cárcamo-Huechante, MA ’00, PhD ’01, is the author of Acoustic Colonialism: Acts of Mapuche Interference, a book that examines the role of sound in Chilean and Mapuche cultural production and struggles over colonialism and Indigenous agency over the last two centuries. He discusses the study of indigeneity and sound, and their relation to literary and media history. Luis belongs to the Mapuche people, and he is a founding member of the Comunidad de Historia Mapuche, an organization that works to preserve Mapuche history. He is an associate professor of Spanish at the University of Texas, Austin.

---

Business

In 2023, J. Michael Beird, MBA ’87, sold his second online bank-training platform, BankersHub, and co-founded the Association for Cannabis Banking. In February 2025, James co-authored the industry’s first definitive reference textbook titled Cannabis Banking: Legal Frameworks and Practical Solutions for Cultivating Compliance, for both professionals and universities/colleges. In July he co-hosted the seventh annual Cannabis Banking Symposium with the National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors in New Mexico. Says James: “The Johnson Graduate School of Management had the right blend of case studies and theoretical platforms for giving me the tools I’ve relied on for my 47 years in banking.”

---

Engineering

Yejin Choi, MS ’09, was featured in the 2025 TIME100 Next list in the AI category. Yejin is a leading researcher in natural language processing and a computer science professor at Stanford University. She is a MacArthur “genius grant” recipient, known for her work on AI’s understanding of common sense. She joined the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI in January to explore alternatives to expensive, energy-hungry language learning models. “Part of my mission,” Yejin says, “is somehow using AI to make humanity better, as opposed to making AI for the sake of making AI better.”

Zoe Wang, ME ’20, is the founder and creative director of ZIFAN, a fashion brand that focuses on lingerie including bras, panties, bodysuits, corsets, robes, and silk dresses. Their mission is to help wearers feel like the most feminine and beautiful version of themselves and is inclusive of women of all ages, body types, and identities. In early 2025, Zoe’s brand was featured on a TV documentary show about fashion in NYC. She credits Cornell with giving her the tools and confidence to pursue her dream, including gaining a foundation in finance and business and learning from inspiring professors and peers. “At Cornell, I learned to test assumptions and trust the data. That mindset powers every design and business decision at ZIFAN,” says Zoe. “Financial engineering trained me to balance risk and reward, and starting my personal brand is the most meaningful version of that equation.”

---

Graduate School

Jan Carbonell, MS ’24, is being honored as one of this year’s MLH Top 50, a list compiled by Major League Hacking recognizing the top new technologists of the day. According to the announcement, Jan is “a dynamic MLH organizer whose journey into the tech world is a testament to the transformative power of hackathons. Jan wrote his very first line of code at an MLH hackathon in Barcelona at HackUPC back in 2016. That pivotal experience didn’t just teach him to code; the project developed there won a sponsor award, helped raise funds for a nonprofit, and even earned him a nomination for MIT Technology Review’s “Innovators Under 35.” This whirlwind start inspired Jan to move away from industrial engineering and teach himself to code as well as attend and win hackathons across Europe. Jan strongly believes that hackathons are unmatched spaces for learning, connection, and experimentation. In just one year during his Cornell master’s program, his efforts resulted in five hackathons, raising over $30,000 in sponsorships from giants like Anthropic, Modal, and Google, and distributing more than $200,000 in prizes and credits.”

---

Human Ecology

Jeanne Mercer-Ballard, MA ’98, has been promoted to professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She is grateful for the continuous support of her professors from Cornell.

Aishwarya Lahariya, MS ’19, a textile scientist and designer, started her own clothing brand called Jiwya. “We have decolonized and reimagined the entire fashion supply chain to be absolutely safe for people, the planet, and animals,” says Aishwarya. Jiwya is 100% plant based and features the work of artisans from throughout India in their pieces. The brand—which was recently featured in Cornellians—was founded a year and a half ago and is now seeing growth, including sales in Paris, NYC, Berlin, Dubai, and India, and Aishwarya’s second collection was launched at London Fashion Week in September 2025.

---

Law School

Andrew Paul Patry, MS ’25, earned his degree in August 2025 with a 4.0 GPA while simultaneously serving full time as an active-duty senior noncommissioned officer in the U.S. Air Force. Since enlisting in 2010, he has completed nine deployments, serving in Europe, in the Middle East, and with Joint Special Operations Command. He was recently recognized as the 2025 16th Air Force Outstanding Regular Air Force ISR Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for his leadership during high-risk operations. Andrew’s Cornell degree is his third master’s, including a Master of Management from Penn State in 2023 and a Master of Arts in international relations from the American Military University in 2020. Cornell’s reputation for academic excellence and its support for military-affiliated students was pivotal in helping Andrew reach this milestone.

---

Group

University Chorus & Glee Club

It’s getting close to the end of the calendar year as you read this, but, as I write it, a number of our Chorus/Glee Club (I believe the term is “Glorus” now?) members are busy dropping their kids off at Cornell. Nancy Jang James ’96’s son Elliott is in his sophomore year, while Nancy Snell Weislogel ’93’s daughter Clare is now a senior! And Cindy Morrison Phoel ’94’s son Colin just entered his freshman year. Congrats to Colin and best wishes for a great year for all our legacies!

Back in late July, Bill Welker ’73, MBA ’75, shared news that the Choral Arts Society of Washington (in which he sings) traveled to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the summer home of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), located in Fairfax County, VA. “On Friday night we performed Carl Orff’s epic choral masterwork, Carmina Burana, with the NSO and the Children’s Chorus of Washington. I love performing this outrageous cantata, which I first experienced way back in my Cornell days. It is an unstoppable force brimming with bawdy, irreverent satire on the ever-changing fate of man. The concert was amazing, and we had a packed, enthusiastic house, in spite of the heat wave.”

From the Five Sisters Farm in Plainfield, NH, comes a fun update from Meg Nalevanko Falcone ’95, DVM ’99: “My husband, Dan ’94, MAT ’96, and I have five daughters. I’m often asked about the farm name; we wouldn’t have this many sheep without daughters involved in 4-H, so it truly is their farm. We raise Shetland sheep, and over time the fleeces piled up beyond our means to use them. I started processing yarn, and things have progressed to the point where we have an online shop and a seasonal farm shop. We hold two large open farm events a year, a spring ‘meet the lambs’ snugglefest, and a ‘fall fiberfest.’”

Meg is also a veterinarian who started out in mixed animal practice in rural New Hampshire and Vermont “in the days before cell phones, with large maps to navigate unpaved back mountain roads. It was an adventure I don’t want to relive, but it was character-building.” She shifted to small animal practice and eventually to shelter medicine. She still keeps her foot in private practice but enjoys the shelter “despite a rollercoaster of ups and downs. It’s also handy having my skill set on the farm where unexpected events arise regularly.”

In September, Kristin Maloney ’97 took on her first-ever super-sport challenge—a three-day bike ride from Boston to New York City—to raise funds for the LGBT Center and AIDS research and services.

Meanwhile, Meg’s sister Mandy Nalevanko Settembre ’99 has sold the rights to her debut picture book, Ours: A Story of Loss and Healing to Lee & Low Books. The story traces a family’s emotional journey from their excitement about expecting a baby through a heartbreaking pregnancy loss to the enduring love that helps them heal their heartache together. Publication is set for spring 2026.

Lastly, two pieces of exciting news came in from Kristin Maloney ’97. On the professional side, she became the head of Resilience for U.S. Banks at Morgan Stanley in NYC. Personally, in September, Kristin took on her first-ever super-sport challenge—a three-day bike ride from Boston to New York City—to raise funds for the LGBT Center and AIDS research and services.

Writes Kristin, “I believe in a better future—one where everyone, especially our trans and queer communities, can live openly, safely, and with dignity. I have a deep personal connection to the trans community and have seen firsthand the power of the center’s work. Years ago, as a theater performer, I had the privilege of performing for benefits for the center. Now, I get to show up in a different way: pedaling every mile in support of the center’s mission. This ride also presents a personal milestone. In recent years, I’ve navigated a diagnosis of a genetic precondition and prophylactic surgery that has impacted my natural energy reserves, and, truly, training for a 275-mile ride hasn’t been easy. But I believe that hope, purpose, and determination can carry you forward more than you ever thought possible. On the eve of a milestone birthday, I also consider this ride as a personal celebration—a way to embrace life and to inspire others—especially my beautiful, inspiring daughters, to make bold choices and stand up for others who need our voices!”

What a beautiful way to close out this column. Happy holidays to all and please keep sending your news—it’s music to my ears! ❖ Alison Torrillo French ’95 (email Alison) | Alumni Directory.

---

Top image: Photo by Jason Koski / Cornell University

Published November 1, 2025