July / August 2023

Columns compiled by your class correspondents

1950s

1950

Have you noticed? Our class column has gradually shifted to the front of the listings in the Class Notes section. Columns of classes before ours have gradually disappeared. What news there is for classes still listed that are without correspondents is entered by the magazine staff. At age 95, and in shaky health, your faithful class correspondent of 23 years is pushing his longevity luck and we might soon be in need of a replacement correspondent or possibly none. Well that, good classmates, is the current news from your correspondent’s cluttered desk out here in Iowa.

However, for an old guy’s entertainment, it’s been a bit of fun to look back to the time when there was more news from classmates than could be fitted to the column’s word limit. I had to use fuzzy criteria to select those reports that I thought to be of greatest interest to readers. To assure fair representation, I created a list of classmates with the dates in which their reported news appeared in the column.

As time went along, the number of news reports gradually fitted the word allotment. Thereafter, they gradually declined—within the past year to zero. When I had unused space, I had the pleasure of filling out my word limit with eclectic material, which I thought to be of relevance and interest to readers, frequently a human-interest story on an accomplished or otherwise well-known classmate. One time, an opinion piece I authored was republished in a chronicle that goes to all university administrators.

In the last two years I have offered life stories of our officers, and I devoted the entire March/April column to a classmate’s fascinating story. But my writing energy is lapsing, and I have found it increasingly difficult to fill out the column. But here’s a try for this one.

Have you ever considered the differences between your formal and your informal education? And the relative importance of each in your life? Einstein said it well, something like, “An education is what’s left after you have forgotten what you learned in school.” In my own case my favorite school subjects were geography and history, but strange circumstances took me into the profession of science education. In retirement, my informal learning has centered on the former two subjects with extensive domestic and foreign travel and visits to historic and unique geographic sites.

I taught five courses for our local senior college on subjects new to me, including ‘The UFO Enigma,’ ‘Epistemology,’ and ‘Church Organs.’

Paul Joslin ’50

Subsequent to retirement at age 70, and for the next 25 years, my life has been driven by informal learning by way of wide readings of authors such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Michener, Bromfield, McCullough, Twain, and others of note. I also focused studies on the Internet, and with other sources, to prepare the five courses I taught for our local senior college on subjects new to me: “The UFO Enigma,” “Epistemology,” “Climates and Cultures,” “Measurement and the Fundamental Quantities,” and “Church Organs.” I also published a book, Science Meets the UFO Enigma, and presented 15 academic papers to our local Torch Club on a range of eclectic topics.

I recently gave a PowerPoint presentation to four local groups titled “Pre-Columbian Cultures of the Western Hemisphere.” I revised the script into an academic paper that was reviewed by four history professors and subsequently published in a referred journal read by 2,000 readers. The gist of the paper was that what I had been taught in school about the so-called New World was totally false. Instead, Western Hemisphere cultures were more civilized and in many ways culturally superior to European cultures of the same time periods. My interest was generated by visits to archeologic sites in North America, Mexico, and Central and South America. I’ll happily send you a copy.

Then there is the wonderful, uplifting experience of travel. As Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to bigotry, prejudice, and narrow-mindedness.” I have visited all the U.S. states, all the provinces of Canada, half the states of Mexico, and 33 foreign countries on five continents. I lived twice in Australia as a visiting university scholar and was able to travel in all its states and cities, as well as its fascinating Outback. All of these informative and uplifting travels were supplemented by eight ocean cruises with educational land excursions.

Then there is the informal education I received from my mother who taught me: logic (“Because I said so; that’s why.”); roots (“Shut the door. You weren’t born in a barn.”); behavior modification (“Stop acting like your father.”); stamina (“You’ll just sit there until those peas are gone.”); religion (“You better pray that stain comes out of the carpet.”); irony (“Keep on crying and I’ll give you something to cry about.”); and time travel (“Straighten up or I’ll knock you into next week.”).

Writing our column has been a thankful stimulus to the priceless informal education I received along a 25-year enlightening journey. ❖ Paul Joslin (email Paul) | 13731 Hickman Rd., #4207, Urbandale, IA 50323 | tel., (515) 278-0960 | Alumni Directory.

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1951

We hope you are enjoying summertime, wherever you are reading this. Please take a moment to send us a letter! What are your fondest memories of your time at Cornell? Who did you meet there who had a lasting impact on you? What is your proudest accomplishment? We’d love to hear from you. ❖ Class of 1951 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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1952

As noted in the 1952 column in the May/June Class Notes, our classmate and long-serving class correspondent, Joan Boffa Gaul, sadly, has left us. Her last column appears in that issue.

Joan was the epitome of a dedicated Cornellian. She was an active volunteer, a class officer, and loyal to classmates and friends, with a deep affection for the University.

Going forward, I recognize that it will be difficult to find anyone to replace her—but perhaps someone may volunteer. Meanwhile, please let me have your news and, as class president, I will try to keep up our column in Class Notes. ❖ Tom Cashel, LLB ’56 (email Tom) | Alumni Directory.

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1953

Doug McIlroy, BEP ’54, writes from Etna, NH, that he’d enjoy hearing from other engineering physics majors. “The last 25 years of my career have been spent as an adjunct professor of computer science at Dartmouth, which I came to know when my son, Peter, was a chemistry major here. I serve on thesis committees, have taught a half-dozen courses including operating systems, and give guest lectures about the early days of computing.

“I was introduced to Cornell’s first computer by math professor Bob Walker almost as soon as the machine arrived. I was hooked. I went on to get a PhD at MIT, where I could use Whirlwind, a huge computer that occupied several rooms. Although the fun I get from computers is in the mathematical puzzles of software, I marvel at the 70-year evolution of hardware, creating machines a thousand times as fast as Whirlwind with a million times more memory.

“After MIT, I joined Bell Telephone Laboratories in math research, moving to computer science when that became a recognized discipline. I had the good fortune to head a small department of wonderful researchers, both theoretical and applied. There I saw the birth of the Unix operating system, a model that today underlies software on everything from cell phones to supercomputers.

“For Unix I created a number of now-standard programs and invented ‘pipes’—the disarmingly simple but powerful idea of feeding output of one computer program directly into another running at the same time. This helped foster the practice of making complicated computing processes out of simple ‘software tools.’

“At Bell Labs I met my wife, Barbara, whose career path has turned from software to conservation of flora, which meshes well with my outdoor interests here in New Hampshire. Our son, Peter, who switched from chemistry to software engineering, particularly of databases, most recently worked on Microsoft Bing. Our daughter, Alison, is in a university planning department at Penn State.”

I was introduced to Cornell’s first computer by math professor Bob Walker almost as soon as the machine arrived.

Doug McIlroy ’53, BEP ’54

Jack Brophy, BME ’54, shares a story about the surprise ending to a recording session with the Cornell Glee Club in 1950. He writes, “Is it possible to capture in a recording the excitement felt when your college football team scores the winning touchdown in the last seconds of the game? What if a recording could be made that would end with a piece of music that, in its final notes, would invoke that feeling, causing listeners to jump to their feet with racing hearts, proclaiming that this was the most moving performance they had ever heard?

“This would be the challenge for the cast and instruments combining on stage in a hall of magnificent acoustics, with microphones hung from the great ceiling and positioned around the stage and back in the 10th row of seats. The cast was made up of the 1950 Cornell University Men’s Glee Club, all 80 voices, and the instrumentalists were three talented student trumpet players and the master organist at the huge cathedral-type pipe organ. The piece selected was the bombastic, pompous, and patriotic ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic.’ The venue for the recording was Bailey Hall, which, when filled, held an audience of 1,500 in the orchestra, dress circle, and balcony. But today, only the professional sound engineer and a few future members of the CUGC, myself included, would be allowed to witness this monumental performance, forever to be captured in vinyl on a 12-inch, 78-rpm record.

“For hours, this music was rehearsed until perfection was assured, and only then would it be recorded for future generations. Trumpets tuned up, the organist limbered up his fingers, and finally the director, Tom Tracy, mounted the podium. Once he had the full attention of the cast and pin-drop silence in the hall, he brought down his baton. The organist opened with his biddily dum, biddily dum, followed by the three trumpets with their ta ta ta taaa. Then the Glee Club, in perfect unison, started in slow cadence: ‘Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord …’ It was a gooseflesh moment.

“The men sang with their melodious tenor and rich resounding bass voices, picking up the pace and the volume. ‘He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat …’ At times they almost whispered beautiful harmonies, but with great intensity—‘In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea’—always aware that they needed to conserve their energy and voices for the final phrase of the anthem. This was going to be like a winning touchdown for sure. One could just feel the excitement building.

“The music built to a crescendo in the final notes. Then ‘AMEEEENNNNN’ held while the trumpets blared and the organist pulled out all the stops. As the voices faded and lips came together, one trumpet player, Willys DeVoll ’51, ran out of breath and tried valiantly to sustain the note. Alas, it cracked into a metallic yodel. Milliseconds passed before a blood-curdling scream of three words was heard from the offending trumpeter and recorded into the vinyl master: ‘GOD D*** IT!’ There was pin-drop silence, and I never heard the sound engineer shout, ‘That’s a wrap!’” ❖ Jack Brophy (email Jack) | John Nixon (email John) | Bob Neff, JD ’56 (email Bob) | Caroline Mulford Owens (email Caroline) | Alumni Directory.

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1954

As my deadline to write our class column approached, I had almost no responses from classmates. But then one welcome item came in: Howard Adlin is turning 90! We hope for more news from Howard soon. It’s reassuring to know that some of us have been fortunate to reach that milestone. And sobering to remember those who did not.

We also heard from Jan Jakes Kunz, for many years the professional and faithful creator and anchor of our class website. Remember to look at it for interesting news.

In a stroke of serendipity, yet another item of news came to me via Jack Vail, a former class president and now vice president. Recently Jack moved from Binghamton, NY, to Vero Beach near some Cornellians. He forwarded an email from John Mariani, who lives part time nearby. If you did not know John while we were undergraduates, you may have heard his name at Reunions. For many years, John has very generously provided wine for us from his now-famous vineyards in Italy. By the way, 2 billion bottles or 150 million cases have been sold!

With his brother, John developed Banfi “from a U.S. importer of classic wines to a pioneer of wine as one of nature’s healthiest foods, working with leading oenologists to promote healthier vineyards and more natural wine. He created the world-class Antiguan resort Jumby Bay, established Castello Banfi as the world’s premier wine estate, and worked alongside colleagues to update several of Italy’s regulations.”

With others, John Mariani ’54 helped restructure the Cornell MBA, after which the national ranking rose from 23 to 8!

As I write this in early April, John is being celebrated at a major industry event in Orlando. He is receiving the Humanitarian, Ethical, Respectful, and One-of-a-kind (HERO) award from the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA). “We’re honored to recognize Dr. Mariani, who changed wine culture in the U.S. forever—without him, few of us would be enjoying the wonderful wines of Italy. What’s even more amazing about him, though—and what this award recognizes—are his philanthropic achievements over his long and storied career.” John wrote, “I’m grateful to WSWA and Breakthru Beverage Group for the opportunity to direct the $20,000 award to the WSWA Educational Foundation College Scholarship Program and match it with an additional $20,000 gift.”

John says that Professor Alfred Kahn influenced him to change his major from math and science to marketing and economics. He surely has put that knowledge to good use. John has been committed to research, education, and generosity of spirit. The Banfi Foundation has endowed thousands of scholarships in the hospitality sector and sponsored educational programs and scholastic travel.

Notably, he established the Chair of Food and Beverage Management in the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. John tells me that, with others, he helped restructure the Cornell MBA, after which the national ranking rose from 23 to 8! With the Hotel School dean and the Statler Foundation, he donated seed funds for the rehabilitation of the school. He also funded the PBS Vintage special “The History of Wine.”

John’s sister, niece, and nephew attended Cornell. His daughters attended other universities; one of them now manages the company. If you would enjoy learning more about John and Banfi, you can find information and videos online. I plan to find a bottle of Banfi wine and toast Cornell. ❖ Ruth Carpenter Bailey (email Ruth) | Bill Waters, MBA ’55 (email Bill) | Class website | Alumni Directory.

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1955

Diane Rothbard Margolis closed out the news form that she submitted with the observation that her favorite memory of Cornell is “spring.” That being so, were she here today as I write this, she would so enjoy seeing that Ithaca is living up to its title of “Forsythia City,” and the view from the Hill is a vista splashed with gold!

Diane is a professor emerita of sociology at the University of Connecticut. She is a founding member of Cambridge (MA) Cohousing, where she has lived for more than 20 years. She is a published writer and her most recent book (August 2022) is titled We Built a Village: Cohousing and the Commons.

As she says: “We Built a Village describes the process of the planning and building of an early cohousing community in Cambridge, MA, and the way the people involved simultaneously built their homes and their social structure. As both a memoir and a sociological analysis that probes the differences between commons and markets, it is unique among books about cohousing. When this group of people began in the early 1990s to plan their cohousing community, they set in motion a counterpoint between the physical spaces and the social considerations that would guide their lives together, even up to creative responses to the recent pandemic.”

From Florida, Elizabeth Rothermel Hopwood reports that, despite COVID, she is still active in both the area symphony society and the Florida Grand Opera Society. Elizabeth made it to the February luncheon at Boynton Beach that was organized by our class president, Bill Doerler. It was so much fun, she said, and added, “I hope we can do it again.” ❖ John Wertis (email John) | Alumni Directory.

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1956

In 1965, upon completing his residency (as chief resident) with the Mount Sinai Hospital, Samuel Basch began his service and teaching career at the hospital. A prolific author and lecturer, and the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, he has now been at Mount Sinai Medical Center for more than 50 years.

Barbara Travis Osgood, PhD ’80, writes, “After graduating with a degree in home economics, I became an ‘educated wife and mother.’ I embraced that destiny for a while, but soon decided that I needed something different. I was swept up in the second wave of the feminism movement in the 1970s. I returned to Cornell and earned my PhD in human ecology in 1980.” When asked what her favorite memory of Cornell was, Barbara answered: “My doctoral chairman, Mary Ann Griffin, who understood what it was like to pursue a doctorate at Cornell as a middle-aged woman.”

Barbara continues, “After a few years on the faculties of Lehman College, CUNY, and Cornell, I was hired as one of the first female professional employees of the Soil Conservation Service, USDA. I like to think that I shattered a few small glass ceilings in my time there. I was the first woman to head a technical staff, and the first woman to achieve the status of state conservationist (state director). After 21 years with SCS (now Natural Resources Conservation Service), I retired as a federal senior executive.

You are never too old to adopt a senior shelter dog!

Barbara Travis Osgood ’56, PhD ’80

“Twenty-seven years ago, I adopted my first old, rescued Labrador retriever. As I continued to adopt old Labs, I soon realized that they were dying in the shelter because no one wanted them. Thus began my passion for homeless old Labs. I have fostered many, and to date have adopted 23. I currently share my home with Abbey, 14; Heidi, 15; and Benji, 16.5.

“In middle age, after many years of severe depression and suicidal episodes, I was finally diagnosed as bipolar. Without the companionship of my dogs, I’m sure I would not have survived. I have written a book, 84 Paws: A Life with Old Labs, about those dogs and how they have rescued me from the severe impacts of bipolar disorder and saved my life. There is a bit about Cornell in the book, too! The proceeds from it go to my rescue, Lab Rescue LRCP. You are never too old to adopt a senior shelter dog!” ❖ Phyllis Bosworth (email Phyllis) | Alumni Directory.

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1957

Adrienne McNair, MEd ’61, and I had a delightful phone conversation and caught up on our journey since we had first met as freshmen in Dickson 5. We were both Arts & Sciences students and both took advantage of a short-lived program in Ag and HomeEc, where we stuffed in the required courses to be certified as NYS elementary teachers. By our 25th Reunion she had married, taught elementary school in Westchester County, and earned her Cornell MEd and her PhD from New York University.

When her 20-year marriage ended in divorce, Adrienne moved back to Ithaca, later marrying Cornell English professor Anthony Caputi, PhD ’56, and took a position as the director of development for the University Library. She achieved a real coup by securing from a 1935 alumnus a multimillion-dollar donation to the Rare and Manuscript Collections. In the 1980s, Adrienne became a professor of education at SUNY Cortland, where she mentored the Cortland students who had been placed in Ithaca schools for their student-teaching experiences. Sadly, her husband passed in 2008 from dementia. Adrienne had been included in the community of Cornell English professors, making many international voyages with them. She fit in with them so well with her undergraduate English literature background. She said, “Doors were opened, and Cornell opened them.”

Adrienne has now been married for nine years in a loving, laughter-filled relationship. The pair live in downtown Ithaca on the top floor of a new apartment building, where they have a great view of Six Mile Creek and a park. She keeps very busy, participating in First Baptist Church of Ithaca activities including singing with the Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers. She has returned to practicing Transcendental Meditation after an absence of 20 years. She is a 30-year practitioner of Tai Chi, enjoys attending classical music concerts, and is learning many new cooking skills. She smiles as she realizes that those in younger generations now consider her a source of wisdom.

Arlene Shapiro Krouner and her husband, Daniel ’55, were Albany high school sweethearts. He was a great basketball player, and she was a lively cheerleader. Dan headed to Cornell’s Hotel School in fall 1951 and Arlene followed him to Cornell the following year. Dan did play basketball at Cornell while Arlene prepped for her entrance to the three-year Cornell NYC nursing program, entering in fall 1954. Dan graduated from the Hotel School in 1955 and marriage quickly followed. He worked in the hospitality field until Arlene graduated in 1957. Several years later, they relocated to the Boston area. Arlene and Dan became Celtics season tickets holders. They were recognized for their 55 years of loyalty with a ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.

Stu MacKay ’57 has been inducted into the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association Heavy Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame.

Arlene and Dan returned to the Albany-Saratoga Springs area when Dan had an opportunity to work for New York State, retiring when he was 83. Their family grew from four children to nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Their young romance continued happily for 67 years until, after having dinner in a local restaurant this past February 2, Dan held Arlene’s hand, went to check on the meals he had ordered to hold them over through the threatening snowstorm, and—with no warning health issues—was stricken and died suddenly. Arlene treasures the many wonderful years they shared together as she navigates the grieving process, not knowing what caused Dan’s passing. We send her our heartfelt condolences.

Larry Brown was out tending his extensive 130 feet of flower garden beds when I called. His wife, Betty, a native of Ithaca, brought me up to date. After his Cornell graduation, Larry worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in soil conservation. After being stationed in various sites, in 1971 he was assigned to Chautauqua County. They had intended to stay there until their daughter graduated from high school, but loved the area so much that they remained living in Jamestown. Larry stays very busy and has a 50-year membership pin from the Kiwanis, where he serves on the board of directors. He also volunteers one day a week year-round at the Audubon Community Nature Center as a participant in the “grounds crew” activities. Betty summed up their life as one of contentment, grateful for the natural beauty that surrounds them.

We have had congratulatory words about two of our active classmates. A dear friend of Stu and Tornie MacKay sent word that Stu, our class treasurer, has been inducted into the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association Heavy Duty Aftermarket Hall of Fame. Stu was inducted in January in Dallas, TX. This is the truck and equipment parts business, and Stu was honored for his 55 years of involvement in the industry and his contributions to it. Stu added an MBA from Dartmouth to his Cornell degree and spends his retirement in fundraising, consulting, serving on various boards, and playing golf. He and Tornie are celebrating 65 years of marriage. Congratulations!

Tom Itin has used his entrepreneurial skills from day one. He added an MBA from NYU to the skills he learned in ILR and started businesses, took established businesses to new heights, and made his mark in the financial world. He has previously been named to various editions of Who’s Who. This latest honor of the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who’s Who recognizes his decades of accomplishments. He and his wife, our classmate Shirley (Bessemer), BS ’00, enjoyed a multitude of worldwide travels. Congratulations! ❖ Connie Santagato Hosterman (email Connie) | Alumni Directory.

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1958

This column was written before Reunion and will issue after it, so we’ll look for news from our Reunioners in the following column. We may have a new co-correspondent then, after our elections in June, and we’ll update you on all of our elected officers. At this writing in early April, we can report that all is ready for the class’s grand 65th get-together and it’s good to see Glenn and Maddie McAdams Dallas’s long list of Cornell donors as we approach that time, again seeking record giving to Cornell, along with the good times together. We’ll soon know how we did.

Patricia Bradfield Tillis writes from her new address in Florida: “I took a 12,000-mile auto trip with my daughter in summer 2019. In summer 2022, I celebrated the slowing of COVID with two two-week bus tours—in Ireland in June and Morocco in November. I have moved into an independent living facility, where I survived the Cat 5 eyewall of Hurricane Ian just after returning from Morocco. Lee County, FL, where I live, had more than 50 deaths from Ian and damage that will take years to clean up and rebuild.” Pat reports that she had full plans to join the party this year and found a roomie to share her pre-registered room with at the Statler and is happy about that.

In summer 2022, I celebrated the slowing of COVID with two two-week bus tours—in Ireland in June and Morocco in November.

Patricia Bradfield Tillis ’58

Phil Getter has been keeping immersed in the arts. He writes: “After my wife, Elaine, passed, my stepdaughter suggested that I continue to produce entertainment events. Elaine and I had been producers on the Tony Award-winning Hadestown in 2019. We were planning on producing Once Upon a One More Time, the story of the Grimms’ fairy princesses having a book club meeting in which they all read their own stories; then Cinderella gets a copy of Betty Friedan’s The Feminine Mystique, and she, Snow White, the Little Mermaid, et al. decide to write their own happy ending, all empowered by the music of Britney Spears. We open in June on Broadway; my new producing partner is Elaine’s daughter, Courtney. We have new shows coming for 2024–25 that I can’t wait to tell you about.” We’ll hope to hear more about all of these at Reunion, Phil, and it’s good to have your update.

Sad news came in as we went to press in mid-April. While all Reunioners will know of this, we include Alan Goldman’s note for informing others of our class. “After suffering a debilitating stroke nine months ago while traveling in Canada, Al Podell has died in the hospital in NYC. He was a great adventurer and wrote three books including two on adventure travel, most noteworthy of which was his recounting of having visited every country in the world. He was also a philanthropist (especially to NYU and Cornell), an attorney, a writer, a political activist, and generous to friends. He was interesting, sometimes controversial, and rarely dull. I will miss him, as will his countless friends with whom he always stayed in contact through his annual parties and individual visits.” We will miss Al and all that he brought over the decades to our many class times together.

We’ll now look for news at Reunion and report it in the next column. ❖ Dick Haggard, PhD ’65 (email Dick) | Alumni Directory.

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1959

“Photography has been an abiding passion for me since childhood,” writes Richard Ehrlich, MD ’63, on his must-see website, Ehrlich Photography. Richard has had a long, distinguished career as a urological surgeon and held multiple teaching positions at the University of California School of Medicine beginning in 1971; he became a professor emeritus in 2012 and continues to see patients there.

From his website: “After many years of taking intra-operative surgical photographs, I began focusing on landscape photography. A lifelong infatuation with the Impressionist painters, who depended more on feeling than fact, led to my overall desire to capture provocative images that describe how I feel when visualizing a scene rather than simply representing what is actually seen.

“A natural curiosity for the visually unusual led me to photograph abandoned houses in a Namibian desert and long-abandoned diamond mining camps that had not been visited for more than 50 years. The desire to capture these almost surreal images of nature reclaiming the desert fostered similar projects such as the abandoned Cook County Hospital in Chicago, built in 1845, and Belmont Park in downtown Los Angeles, centered around a graffiti park undergoing demolition.”

In a lecture at UCLA earlier this year, which can be viewed on his website, Richard commented that probably the most important thing he has ever done was photographing the Holocaust Archives in Bad Arolsen, Germany. He notes on his website: “These photographs document the obsessive mentality of the Nazi regime. At a time of resurging Holocaust denial, these folders, storage boxes, stacks of papers, and ledgers—normally mundane paraphernalia of record keeping—provide painful and irrefutable evidence of history’s most unimaginable crime.”

The Homage to Rothko series is a tribute to Richard’s favorite painter, who has been an inspiration for many years. A recent project, Neogenesis 1, combines disparate photographs to form completely new images. Neogenesis 2 takes this a step further, applying inkjet gel transfers to the underlying image. Richard has published numerous books and portfolios of his projects. His work has been in exhibitions and is in the permanent collections of museums around the world (including Cornell’s Johnson Museum).

A natural curiosity for the visually unusual led me to photograph abandoned houses in a Namibian desert.

Richard Ehrlich ’59, MD ’63

“I may be one of the youngest in our class, but 84 is not young, so I’m trying very hard to travel more while I can,” says Len Rubin, a NYC psychiatrist who continues to work almost full time. His recent trips included journeys to Morocco, Israel, and Mexico. “Of the three, I most enjoyed Israel; it’s very beautiful, very varied, and very interesting/provocative. I traveled with tour groups each time, and regret that the promised ‘gourmet’ food was not part of the Mexico and Morocco jaunts. Shame, because I understand that there is great food to be had in both countries.”

Carole Parnes is also giving in to her inner travel bug. Her most recent trips were back-to-back Caribbean cruises, with visits to almost every island in the sea. “It was fun to see some of the islands again and see how they’ve changed. And it was a pleasure to visit others, such as St. Lucia, for the first time. Between the cruises, we had a two-day stay on Barbados—just wandering around the St. Lawrence Gap area. Highly recommend the Harlequin Restaurant if you’re in the neighborhood—great local dishes, and a marvelous staff.”

Put this on your calendars for the upcoming school year: “I celebrated my 85th birthday by taking my family to the Cornell-Yale hockey game on February 25,” writes Patricia “Paddy” Hurley. “We sat behind the Pep Band of about 30 musicians (including a few alumni), who kept the huge Cornell crowd pumped up with their incessant and very loud music, as well as in-unison jeers at the Yale goalie, who let five pucks puncture his cage. At the end of the 5-1 Cornell win, the band played our ‘Alma Mater,’ with everyone singing lustily. What a fun evening! I would suggest that any Cornellian living anywhere near the site of a Cornell hockey game should avail themselves of the opportunity to watch a fabulous team and enjoy the extra perks of the Pep Band.”

Paddy isn’t the only ’59er who cheers Cornell teams from the bleachers. “This past year, I attended the Columbia football game with fellow Tau Delts Phil Oberlander ’61 and Peter Greenberg ’61,” writes Harry Petchesky. “I think we were the oldest alumni there. I also followed and wrote about the Cornell basketball team, going to games at Columbia and the Ivy Tournament at Princeton. Most of the basketball team is returning. As we used to say in Brooklyn, ‘Wait ‘til next year.’”

Ithacan Ron Demer is a regular at men’s and women’s hockey and lacrosse, football, basketball, and other events. Bobbie Greig Schneider has great men’s hockey seats at Lynah Rink and invites lucky guests. Carol Hardy, PhD ’81, former academic advisor to men’s basketball, sees all of their games and even keeps score. Ron says that those interested in Ivy sports should check out ESPN+, a streaming channel that carries almost all college athletics on the web in hi-def. ❖ Jenny Tesar (email Jenny) | Alumni Directory.

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1960s

1960

Now retired for several years from his senior administrative position at the World Trade Centers Association, Barry Weintrob is happy to report, “My wife, Sheila, and I bought our dream home in Boynton Beach, FL, early in the pandemic. We kept our home in Brooklyn and now divide our time between the two. I still return to Cornell to participate in Student Agencies meetings, as I have done since the 1950s. I spend much of my time with family and volunteering as well as keeping healthy. Life has been very good to us. We are truly blessed, and we look forward to attending our next Reunion in 2025.”

Also feeling quite positive, David Ahl writes from Morristown, NJ, “I spend most of my time these days as an 84-year-old geezer still making mission trips to needy countries such as Haiti, Honduras, and Bangladesh, helping with refugee projects. I’m also very happy to report that my grandson Wyatt, who comes from England, will be starting this fall at Cornell in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), which caught his interest when he was at the dedication of the David Ahl ECE Maker Lab in 2018.”

Pleased with her recent experiences, Linda Jarschauer Johnson, MS ’63, reports, “I’ve enjoyed spending time with my son and family. My granddaughter Eleanor Creedon ’24 is participating in Cornell-in-Washington this spring. It’s wonderful having her here in D.C. She had Easter dinner with us all, and we did a rainy car tour of the cherry blossoms at their peak. Before long I’ll be coming to Newton for my granddaughter Diana Creedon’s graduation from high school in early June.”

I spend most of my time these days making mission trips to needy countries such as Haiti, Honduras, and Bangladesh, helping with refugee projects.

David Ahl ’60

After missing two family weddings in 2020 because of the pandemic, Jim, BME ’62, MBA ’63, and Becky Quinn Morgan have now emerged from their pleasant home and garden in Los Altos Hills, CA, and have been spending a fair amount of time traveling. During 2022 they began by visiting good friends in Hawaii, after which Becky spent 10 days with a family in Ireland, an experience she thoroughly enjoyed. In the fall, the Morgans visited Sun Valley friends in British Columbia, then went to Vermont to see family and friends, and finally made their way to Ithaca, where they spent time with their granddaughter Sophie ’24, a data science major, and also managed to attend to their own projects at Cornell. They ended the year with a Christmas visit to their daughter’s family in Jackson, WY, and had the special pleasure of meeting their first great-grandson. A richly rewarding year of travel, no doubt! Back home in California, Jim continues to be active with the Nature Conservancy, and Becky is involved with early childhood education and her participation in the Los Altos Rotary.

Some of you may already have read about the sad loss of two notable classmates. In early February, we learned from Ellie Ross Garfinkel the sad news that her husband, Alan, BCE ’61, had died in late January, not long after the couple had celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary and Alan had been named Rockland County Professional Engineer of the Year. The Garfinkels were longtime Class of ’60 officers who worked to gather affinity groups for our Reunions, and Alan will be remembered by many colleagues as a warm and friendly person. He is survived by Ellie, their sons, James and Andrew, and five grandchildren.

The other classmate we have sadly lost is Dick Schwartz, MD ’65, of McLean, VA, who died in December. He was a practicing cardiologist for more than 50 years, a member of many medical honor societies, and president of the Sports Medicine Association of Greater Washington. Dick began his rowing career at Cornell, won many collegiate championships, and continued rowing competitively for several decades; when he returned to Ithaca for our 50th Reunion, he participated in the dedication of the new Cornell Rowing Center. He is survived by his wife, Jean, sons Michael and Christopher, and three granddaughters. ❖ Judy Bryant Wittenberg (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.

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1961

Our only Class Notes input comes from somewhat long-lost classmate Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio, who writes from Manila, Philippines. “I am considered part of the Class of 1961, although I did not earn a Cornell degree. I already had an undergraduate degree—BSHE major in foods and nutrition from the University of the Philippines (UP)—when I enrolled in Cornell’s Hotel School as a ‘special student.’

“I went back to the UP after 35 years when I obtained an MA in English, major in creative writing, in the year 2000. My thesis became a best-selling book that was sold on Amazon, titled Teacher to Tycoon: The Life and Times of Trinidad Diaz Enriquez. It was named ‘best biography’ by the Manila Critics Circle in the National Book Awards of 2000.

“My husband, Rebecco E. Panlilio, passed away in 1999. He did a postgraduate course in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Pennsylvania while I was at Cornell. We had four children, two of whom live in London and are married to Brits. I have 10 grandchildren, the youngest of whom is a freshman at Harvard.”

We are at a lull in reporting on classmates and activities. Following the annual class dues mailings, we should provide a fuller edition for the next columns. I know you will be reading Cornellians online and you may have read about the loss of classmate David Kessler, longtime class officer and supporter of our class and Cornell. He appeared in the April In Memoriam section.

Lastly, do not hesitate to send your emails to us. ❖ Doug Fuss (email Doug) | Susan Williams Stevens (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

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1962

Ruth Zimmerman Bleyler sent word that she and husband Pete were excitedly planning to attend the graduation of granddaughter Danika Cho ’23 in June. By the time you read this, the Bleylers will have had their grand celebration in Ithaca!

From Mike Eisgrau, longtime class council member and former class newsletter editor, come these very interesting reflections: “It’s hard to believe that I’m retired after 58 years in broadcast news and public relations. After Cornell I received my master’s from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Chicago.

“Broadcast news is a 24-hour lifestyle—so I began my career by writing radio newscasts overnight for WGN Chicago and then for WLS in the same city. In the mid-’60s I was anchoring TV news in Elkhart/South Bend, IN—but good fortune got me back to my hometown in New York, where I spent 24 years on the air for the late, great WNEW Radio News. One of my assignments: being dropped in by helicopter to the 1969 Woodstock Festival. I was also a New York-based correspondent for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

I spent 24 years on the air for the late, great WNEW Radio News. One of my assignments: being dropped in by helicopter to the 1969 Woodstock Festival.

Mike Eisgrau ’62

“In 1991 I became director of public affairs and chief of PR for the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, but I had to retire in 2005 to be with my late wife, Betty, in her final days.

“I’m remarried to a beautiful gal. We split our time between homes and my offices in Sarasota, FL, and Manhattan. I remain a man of only a few million words.”

It may be hard to top this, but you’ll never know if you don’t try. Send along news of your current, past, and future life to Judy Prenske Rich (email Judy). Now! Please! Entries published in Cornellians will also be posted online in “Classmate News” on cornellclassof62.org, the Class of 1962 website. If you haven’t done so recently, you are urged to visit this extraordinary site—an archival repository of everything relating to our class since its inception. ❖ Judy Prenske Rich (email Judy) | Alumni Directory.

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1963

You will be reading this after our 60th Reunion in June. I hope many of you attended. A full report of Reunion will be in the September/October Class Notes in Cornellians.

Ed Hoerning writes: “I’ve been serving as the historian for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Gastonia, NC, in recent years. Through my research, I’ve written several articles that have been included in the church magazine. Additional articles are in the works. Granddaughter Laura is an elementary teacher in the Charlotte, NC, school system. Granddaughter Livy is a junior at the University of Georgia, where she is also a member of the university choir.”

I had a long and fun phone call from K.T. Mao, ME ’65, a month or so ago. We talked about fundraising and Reunion, which he was planning on attending. K.T. is the founder and president of Hysen International Inc. I asked him to write me with an update on his activities. He wrote the following: “Like you, I came into Cornell in 1959. That was a very different time. There were only six of us that were ethnically Chinese: three U.S.-born and three from across the Pacific. I have been in touch with all of them, save one who passed away 25 years ago in 1998. My six years at Cornell and Sigma Pi was a time I characterize as the ‘Americanization of K.T.’ Coupled with my early upbringing in Shanghai and Hong Kong and a classical Chinese education, plus 14 years of living and working in China, 2004–2018, this gives me a unique bicultural understanding and perspective. By now, there are 12 Cornellians in the Mao family. One of my grandsons, Nathan ’25, a sophomore in Arts & Sciences, is playing tennis at Cornell. Two years ago, my wife, Kexin Li, and I bought a place and settled in Harpswell, ME. We love it here.”

I still own and work daily in my adventure travel company, where I am serving the third generation of clients.

Frankie Campbell Tutt ’63

John Alic writes from Avon, NC, that he is “only semi-retired. I’m still writing on technological change and its ramifications mostly as concerns military affairs, energy/climate, and the labor market. And I’m still windsurfing (picked up a nice 94-liter JP Australia Freestyle Wave board late last fall at a yard sale and can’t wait to try it).”

Frankie Campbell Tutt is one of our classmates that I hear from the most and I appreciate that. She writes recently: “Bill and I still live in the house we purchased in Colorado Springs in 1975 and enjoy our Colorado lifestyle, dividing our time with our properties in Vail and Summit County. In July we’ll celebrate our 60th anniversary at my Ohio farm, another property we love to visit. We travel frequently, most recently to Poland and frequently to Puerto Rico, where son Ben, MMH ’97, is managing partner of the Condado Collection—three luxury hotels on Condado Beach. I still own and work daily in my adventure travel company, where I am serving the third generation of clients. Grandson William is starring in theater productions at Mercersburg Academy and granddaughter Tori works with the San Juan Opera Company and is active in her prep school theater company as well as being a budding artist.” Frankie’s favorite memory of her time at Cornell? “The episodes relating to happenings in my ‘Development of American Ideals’ class. It was a crazy time, which ended in my marriage to Bill.”

Please send news; I am always in need of more for the column. ❖ Nancy Bierds Icke (email Nancy) | 12350 E. Roger Rd., Tucson, AZ 85749 | Alumni Directory.

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1964

It may be a sultry mid-summer day as you read this, so it’s a good time to urge you to make plans for our 60th Reunion next June 6–9. Here’s more news in the meantime.

James Byard, who lives in Davis, CA, with wife Patricia (Seward) ’65, catches us up big time! He writes, “Trish and I are in good health and enjoying an active life. We have traveled the world together (Europe, China, Peru, Alaska, Mexico, etc.). We make mostly short trips now to our favorite hikes, hotels, and restaurants. Our daughter’s son, Gavin, is a freshman at UC Davis (where I taught and did research on chemical carcinogenesis). His brother, Gareth, is a senior in high school. Our son just became a father, and we now have a granddaughter.” James adds, “I have been active campaigning for progressive candidates over the last 25 years. My other cause is electrification, mostly blogging online as ‘doctoxics.’” Clearly an electricity fan, James notes, “I have crossed the country twice in my all-electric sedan, and plan to do it a third time for our 60th Reunion. Hope to see you there.” James adds that he’s still doing consulting on environmental issues for one client, but otherwise is “mostly retired.” His favorite Cornell memory? “So much learning and growing up during those four years at Cornell.”

Ruth Greenzweig Green, who lives in Palm Beach, FL, writes, “I wrote a non-fiction book, titled Corrupted Justice, which released in 2017. The publisher has filed for bankruptcy, so I cannot get additional copies. I have been approached for possible interest in a film, but who knows?” W. David Temel writes that he is retired and living in Mount Pleasant, SC.

Anita Apeseche Heller, who lives in Yonkers, NY, catches us up: “I retired as a clinical mental health therapist primarily with Spanish-speaking patients. Now I’m a snowbird, spending winters in Florida.” When home, Anita volunteers at a local animal shelter. She goes on, “My daughter-in-law gave me the gift of Storyworth for Christmas. Every few weeks, I write an essay on my life. After a year, the essays are printed in a hardcover book. This way my grandchildren will know me.” Anita is otherwise likely to be on an Alaska cruise this summer. Her other activities include “tennis, pickleball, swimming, cycling, yoga, and Mahjong,” and, if all that is not enough, she concludes that she goes to the dog park every day with her rescue Lab and mini-Labradoodle.

Following retirement, a number of years ago I took up a serious avocation of making leaded stained-glass panels.

Stanley Schlozman ’64

Stephen Abramson, who lives with wife Phyllis in Hauppauge, NY, writes that he is “still working! I’m president of APS Pension & Financial Services in Melville, NY, executive VP of Hadassah on the national level, treasurer of the Chatham Synagogue, and on the board of Family Service League in Huntington, NY. I continue to play tennis and read when I can. The COVID pandemic dented our travel and vacation plans for almost two years. Just before, we took our children and grandchildren on a trip to Egypt. It proved to be a wonderful bonding experience, enjoyed by all.” Stephen adds, “Our country home in New Lebanon, NY, is used year-round—a wonderful retreat in rural America. We are 10 minutes from the Berkshires in Massachusetts, with many cultural offerings. Great location!” He concludes, “Our oldest grandson is a Cornell graduate, from the College of Engineering.”

Walter Smith, who lives in Lubbock, TX, with wife Kathy, updates us: “I retired as the Helen DeVitt Jones Professor of Education at Texas Tech University in September 2021.” Walter was widowed in 2018 after 52 years of marriage. He then met Kathy online and remarried in 2021. “We now are getting acquainted with each other’s families. Kathy and I winter in what Texans call ‘the valley’ along the Rio Grande.” Walter is also still active in his local Rotary. Stephen Platt and wife Paula share that they have a new address in NYC.

Janet Warren Fatherley, who lives in Bradford, VT, had a detailed update: “I retired in 2005 after working 20 years at Dartmouth Medical School in the endocrinology division as the administrative assistant to the chief of endocrinology. I read a lot and support the local library and its activities, and I enjoy gardening, both flowers and vegetables, and cooking.” Janet goes on, “Every July for the past 30 years, I have gathered with 12 high school women friends in Dorset, VT; last year we all turned 80! My granddaughter graduated from USC in Los Angeles with a degree in environmental engineering. My grandson is starting his freshman year at Northeastern U. in Boston.”

Stanley Schlozman, who lives in Boston, writes, “I was in the investment business in Boston for most of my career, first as an equity analyst, then research director, and lastly portfolio manager, investing pension funds for municipalities, unions, and college endowments. I still follow the markets as I am on four nonprofit investment committees. Following retirement, a number of years ago I took up a serious avocation of making leaded stained-glass panels, a craft I learned when I accompanied my wife, a Boston College professor, to Aix-en-Provence, where she taught as a Fulbright scholar in 1972–73. My son, Danny, is a political science professor at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore and my daughter, Julia, a lawyer at a nonprofit in Boston. I regularly see our classmate Richard Greenman on Martha’s Vineyard, where we both have houses. We are currently selling our Victorian house in Brookline and moving into a condominium in Copley Square, Boston.”

That’s it for now. On behalf of our class officers, we hope to see you at our 60th Reunion on Cornell’s campus, June 6–9, 2024. I could always use more of your news, so please 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.

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1965

David Marsh relates that he moved to La Jolla, CA, in 1974, and was a founding member of the San Diego Cardiac Center. (He holds his MD degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine.) Since retirement about 11 years ago, he has served as a facilitator of medical student training at the University of California, San Diego. He and his wife, Kathy, have four children and four grandsons. David continues to ride his bicycle with friends several times per week and swims, often in the ocean, on other days. He still talks from time to time with classmate Jeff Moak, DVM ’70.

Judith Russell Davidson (Orleans, MA) reports the sad news that two of her Cornell friends died recently. Classmate Dorothy Leonard passed away in Canada, where she had been teaching. Joan Sullivan ’55 passed away on Cape Cod. Judith shares that Joan was a good tennis player, and Judith used to play with her and her sister Kathy.

We want to remind you that our class council has voted to establish a special class gift in connection with our 60th Reunion in 2025. In response to the rise in, and increased recognition of, mental health issues among the Cornell student body, our class gift will support a Wellness Coaching Program under the auspices of the Skorton Health Center. Simply stated, we wanted to support a program that will benefit Cornell students for many years: the impact of our gift should outlast us. Mental health is sadly a timely and topical subject, and a good coaching program should have an ongoing impact for a long time.

David Marsh ’65 was a founding member of the San Diego Cardiac Center.

Design for the pilot program and coaching training are already underway. We have established a separate fund to accept contributions, rather than to wait for the actual Reunion year, so that our gift can have an immediate as well as ongoing positive impact on the mental health of the Cornell student community. Indeed, some meaningful financial contributions have already been made through the generosity of class gift committee members. As we noted last time, contributors can donate to this project for multiple years and get important annual tax and RMD (required minimum distribution) benefits in addition to getting the inherent satisfaction resulting from our tangible contributions to the wellness of Cornellians.

Jeff Kass is the project leader, and we salute him and the gift committee for their already tireless efforts on behalf of this worthy cause. We will keep you updated on both the progress of our program and how you can contribute to make it meaningful and successful.

Please email us your news! We cannot write a column without hearing from you. ❖ Stephen Appell (email Stephen) | Joan Hens Johnson (email Joan) | Alumni Directory.

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1966

Wishing you a cooler autumn as we get through the summer heat! We got a nice note from Lester McCarthy. Les retired at the end of 2003; he devotes a huge amount of energy to being the Hudson Valley (NY) Walk to Defeat ALS chairperson, working under the auspices of the ALS Association Greater New York Chapter. He became active in this endeavor when a third friend of his died from ALS. The annual walk has raised more than $2.2 million over the last dozen years.

Peter Freeman recently met Roy Grimm and Roy’s wife, Michelle, in Upstate New York, where Peter lives. His most recent family news is that his daughter Victoria was married in October 2022.

Michael M. Levy wrote from Bethesda, MD, that he is retired and tutoring at-risk kids. He enjoys tennis, golf, and bridge, and his last trip was an African safari.

Ellen Feinstein Ellner, who lives in Floral Park, NY, retired several years ago. She has three kids. She and her husband have traveled all over the world, including to Japan, Russia, and Argentina.

Charles Schaefer retired in early 2019, after 42 years as a sales professional in the copper industry. He is now a volunteer guide for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He also volunteers for the spiritual care ministry of Monterey Community Hospital. He enjoys being a photographer and writes that he has been married 50+ years and has three grown daughters and six grandchildren.

Ronni Barrett Lacroute lives in Oregon. She wrote, “I continue to be involved more than ever in the world of the performing arts, sponsoring new work and supporting individual arts and arts companies in theater, classical music, and dance. I am drawn to work that has social impact, spotlights new voices, and reveals stories that had been previously overlooked or suppressed. It is a joy to be part of a community of highly creative people, and the local Portland arts community has become part of my extended family. Tragically, I lost a grandchild this winter, my first of our grandchildren, and this death has been devastating to my family. I am trying my best to support my daughter through the intense grief, and I am also trying to spend more time with my three remaining grandchildren. It does not seem right for a grandchild to die, leaving two older generations behind to make sense of this unexpected absence.”

Lester McCarthy ’66 devotes a huge amount of energy to being the Hudson Valley (NY) Walk to Defeat ALS chairperson.

Russell Lidman wrote, “From time to time, I work with a Seattle University colleague on articles and chapters. As emeritus, I work slowly. I also joined the board of Heritage University in Toppenish, WA. It is a remarkable private school—75% Hispanic and 12% Native American, mostly Yakama. I went to Oaxaca for the nth time and over to the coast for a few days. Mazunte, Mexico, reminded me of the period in my 20s when I was a budget traveler.”

Marie Lewis Oakleaf wrote, “I have joined a volunteer community group whose mission is to resettle refugee families in Canandaigua, NY. In just one year, we have raised enough money to support and receive eight Ukrainians and two Haitians. We are committed to ‘walk with them’ as they secure housing, employment, schooling, community awareness, etc. Our group, Called to Care, Canandaigua, is entering our second year and is poised to continue this humanitarian outreach.”

Elmer Phillippi wrote that he was saddened by the death of Foster De Reitzes, his freshman dorm roommate. Elmer participated in the founding of the Sarasota-Manatee Science and Technology Society, bringing a much-needed technology forum to South-Central Florida. He is serving as a mentor to a model rocket group of high school students at an innovation center called the Faulhaber Fab Lab. They are building the rockets entirely from scratch and plan to set the Florida altitude record. He also joined the Free Speech Alliance, which includes Cornell and eight other institutions. The alliance advocates open discussion of issues on campuses.

We learned the news that Liz Rapoport Slive passed away in December 2022. Liz’s outgoing spirit took her from Brooklyn to studying English at Cornell, where she was a member of AEPhi, to the Bank Street College of Education, and then to numerous cities that she called home before her recent years in Birmingham. Her warmth and huge smile engaged everyone in her world. She made new ties everywhere. As Andrea Riger Potash shared: “I truly did love her. She was simply wonderful, wonderful. She was sweet, and she was soft. She welcomed everyone with inclusion and friendship.” Her family was her center: daughter Anna Slive Harwood, and granddaughter Abigail. Her late husband, Michael, was former commissioner of the Southeastern Conference and was Cornell Director of Athletics from 1981­–83.

Alice Katz Berglas (our class VP, communications) wrote, “I am writing in early April, but the campus is already abuzz with ‘Cornell Days,’ when accepted students will visit; with the last weeks of classes and soon finals; with the anticipation of Slope Day and then Commencement; and with plannings for generations of alumni to surge back on the Hill for Reunion. New graduates mean new alumni—one day to climb back with us. As summer is here as you read this, I hope you find time to unwind, explore new adventures, and share news about them with us, filling this column in the fall! Even the pace of Cornell slows (a bit) in summer. Take time, have time, make time to enjoy the long days with family, with friends, and on your own. We will pick up the pace again when the new Cornell Class of 2027 finds its way to Ithaca and begins its own climb. Have wonderful and health-filled summers! (And, of course, if you haven’t yet, do join us with your dues!) My best.” ❖ Pete Salinger, MBA ’68 (email Pete) | Susan Rockford Bittker (email Susan) | Alumni Directory.

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1967

As this is written (in April), we await your news on the forms provided with the dues notice you should have recently received. In the meantime, here are some notes about two classmates we lost in the past year.

Alphonse “Skip” Homicz Jr., who passed away on January 10, 2023, was raised in East Longmeadow, MA. A standout student athlete there, he was a starting varsity football lineman at Cornell. He attended Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Dental Corps before starting a private practice in Antrim, NH, which he ran for 35 years.

According to his obituary in the Manchester, NH, Union Leader, “He was recognized with numerous awards for his extraordinary dedication to the profession, served as president of the New Hampshire Dental Society, and was awarded a fellowship in the International College of Dentists. Skip and his wife, Cathy, raised their three children in Peterborough, NH, before retiring to New Castle, NH.

“Skip was passionate about public service, and specifically the people of Haiti, where he made numerous trips with the Sisters of Charity and the Haitian Health Foundation to provide dental and medical services to rural villages. In retirement, he was an advocate for access to care, serving as director of the Families First Dental Clinic in Portsmouth. He worked both in the mobile clinic for the homeless and behind the scenes securing grants. This led to consulting work for other federally qualified health centers, and he was appointed to the American Dental Association’s committee for access to care.”

George Mendelssohn, who died on May 12, 2022, lived in the town of Kill Devil Hills, NC. His LinkedIn description of his availability to “provide consulting services in myriad arenas, including political, legal, business ethics, government ethics, business-government relations, and banking,” suggests his skill range.

“My professional experience,” he amplified on his page, “includes political campaign management; grassroots organization; litigation attorney; senior federal prosecutor; adjunct professor in business ethics and public policy at two major universities; financial fraud, business, and law enforcement ethics consultant; entrepreneur; ethicist, cyclist, humorist; map designer and publisher; Renaissance person; and polymath.”

Revealing his sense of humor, he also wrote: “Two ministers, a priest, a rabbi, and an imam walked into a bar … No joke. I’m serious. Well, partly serious. I’ve done stand-up and sit-down comedy; songwriting and performance; teaching in high school, college, and grad schools; as well as numerous criminal and civil jury trials. What better background for comedy and consulting could there be?”

He served as a senior trial attorney and supervisor at the U.S. Justice Department as well as chief of bank fraud units at the U.S. Attorney’s offices in Newark, NJ. Later, he taught business ethics and public policy, featuring financial fraud investigation techniques, at the business schools of American University and the University of Maryland. His performance business was called Two Ministers, A Priest, A Rabbi, and An Imam LLC. Lastly, he wrote that in 1981 he resigned from the Department of Justice, where he had been deputy chief of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Division, after he “blew the whistle” on a dropped prosecution he had investigated. He then practiced law in Washington for the next 15 years. ❖ Richard Hoffman (email Richard) | 2925 28th St. NW, Washington, DC 20008 | Alumni Directory.

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1968

After 10 years of editing, deciphering, and consolidating your bimonthly submissions to the Class Notes column, I have decided to pass the pen to another of our classmates—though I will continue reading about the wonderful life experiences you have been sharing for the past 55 years. I do have one request of those who hand-write their submissions. For the sake of my successor, please try to write more legibly. Like the new rules in Major League Baseball, this will speed up the task of the new class correspondent, who often might need to spend extra time and maybe even make a phone call to try to figure out if you wrote an E or an A. Some of you have visited, lived in, or worked in obscure places and companies that require a “Jeopardy!” champion to figure out its name from the few letters that can be read. I know if handwriting (script or printing) was being graded, you’d all get straight As. (Naturally, I’m partially kidding.)

What has stood out for me over the last 10 years has been the charitable work that so many of our classmates have generously done—including giving their time, expertise, and personal resources. Of course, these past 10 years have been the grandchild phase of life for many of us. It seems that when talking about our families we often skip our children and go directly to stories of the accomplishments of our grandchildren. Retirement and travel has been a major theme, though there are quite a few of us that are still working full and part time. For many of our classmates, relocation and vacation homes have been a reward for the hard work and success of careers. Of course, there are those who are no longer with us and they are missed—though I’m guessing from my vantage point we are beating the odds when it comes to mortality statistics. Keep it up. Keep your daily routine that keeps you moving and eating a healthy diet (with some cheating of course).

Paul Goldberg ’68, ME ’69, and Steve Steinhardt ’68 played pickleball against Mark Taylor ’68 and me in Florida for the ‘Championship of the World.’

Chuck Levitan ’68

And now for your bimonthly news. David Weber and his wife took their children, spouses, and grandchildren, along with two Tanzanians they have come to know, on a safari to Tanzania. They had a wonderful time as they observed wildlife in their natural habitats. I wholeheartedly agree with David’s recommendation for those who would enjoy getting up close to creatures large and small as they show off a magnificence that can’t be captured in a zoo.

Amazingly, Mary Hartman Schmidt may just be entering the prime of her career as she departs the legal firm that she founded many years ago to join Verrill, a prominent firm in New England with seven offices and 140 attorneys. Mary brings the firm a wealth of experience in trusts and estates, domestic relations, and probate litigation at the trial and appellate levels. Since 2012, she has co-edited the Massachusetts Probate Law Sourcebooks. Mary will be heading up the family law practice at Verrill’s Boston office.

Lastly, Paul Goldberg, ME ’69, and Steve Steinhardt played pickleball against Mark Taylor and me in Florida for the “Championship of the World.” You may remember Mark as first court on our tennis team during our campus years. While Steve has been playing pickleball for several years with tournament victories to his credit, Mark has only recently taken up the sport. So in what you may call an upset victory, Mark and I were victorious and are now “Champions of the World.” I should mention that the championship game followed losses in four games in a row to Paul and Steve. We’ll give them a rematch if we’re all in Florida at the same time next year.

Keep your news coming! I’m frequently told by classmates that ours is one of the only columns some read on a regular basis. That made it even more of a joy writing the column. Much appreciation goes to Alexandra Bond ’12, our Cornell connection. Signing off, your past class correspondent: ❖ Chuck Levitan (email Chuck) | Alumni Directory.

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1969

Please mark your calendar to come to Ithaca, June 6–9, 2024, for our 55th Reunion. It will be a great opportunity to reconnect with longtime friends and make new ones. We had a great turnout for our 50th, and we would love to see as many of you attend as possible. The campus has always been beautiful, but the new North Campus housing and additions to the Ag and Engineering quads can’t truly be appreciated without a personal visit. Your class Reunion co-chairs, Cindy Nixon Dubose and Sally Knowlton, are leading the planning efforts to make this a memorable event. I hope you will be able to join us.

Carl Patrick writes from Oswego, NY, that he is happily retired but actively involved as president of a local art co-op, where he indulges his hobby of carving wood—mostly Celtic knots—as a form of community service. After a 50-year hiatus, he picked up his trombone again and is playing in two local bands. He discovered that he remembered just enough to play along with the rest of the band members. Carl also shared that a small group of his Theta Chi fraternity brothers from the late ’60s and early ’70s gathered with their spouses at Tom Newman ’70’s house in Lakewood Ranch, FL, for a mini-reunion and Super Bowl party. Besides Carl, Jeff Olesen, Tom McLeod ’70, ME ’71, and Larry ’70, ME ’71, and Char Brunelle Wojcik ’70 enjoyed catching up with each other and told a few stores of their time on the Hill. He said they even interrupted those recollections to watch the end of the game. Carl added: “My membership in Theta Chi fraternity was by far the most enjoyable part of my time at Cornell. I have to admit, I’ve used more of what I learned there than what I learned in the classroom!” I suspect his experience is shared by many. Certainly, his Super Bowl gathering reinforces how much fun reunions can be.

Dexter Wang, ME ’70, lives in Concord, MA. He and his wife, Julia (Ho) ’68, are so busy in retirement, he can’t imagine how he was able to run a business and raise a family. They recently did a Cornell-sponsored trip to Ireland that was educational and entertaining, but tiring. He and Julia continue to enjoy ballroom dancing and skiing interspersed with family time with their three children and seven grandchildren. Last year they got news that granddaughter Tori Darling was accepted to the Cornell Hotel School. She is taking a gap year and will join the Class of ’27 as the third generation in their family to attend the Hotel School, after Julia and Elizabeth Wang Darling ’97. Dexter observed that his professional career spent building space optical systems required patience. He has been retired for many years and is now enjoying the fruits of that labor as the New Horizons LORRI telescope is taking stunning pictures of Pluto and outer asteroids, while the James Webb Space Telescope, whose mirrors his firm polished, is opening exploration of our galaxy to a whole new level.

A small group of Theta Chi fraternity brothers from the late ’60s and early ’70s gathered with their spouses for a mini-reunion and Super Bowl party.

Bruce Kratz lives in Jupiter, FL, and is happy to say that for the first time in 53 years, he finally found something of note he wanted to share in the Class Notes. He and his wife, Carol, report that their granddaughter Julia O’Connor ’22 received her BS in biomedical engineering with honors. Bruce says: “We are so proud of her accomplishment, especially her artsy-fartsy grandfather who needs spellcheck just to type her major!”

Judy Burdin Asuni writes from Camp Hill, PA, that, in spite of several crushed vertebrae as a result of an accident in 2017, she continues to work in the field of conflict management and peace-building in the oil rich region of Nigeria. “During lockdown, we published a major work, ‘Insecurity in the Niger Delta,’ and are now working with the Italian Maritime Academy on an EU project on climate change and conflict, so I am learning many new things about the climate.” This past fall, she was in Central Pennsylvania to welcome the birth of her eighth grandchild, making three in Pennsylvania, three in London, and two in Lagos. She enjoyed a family reunion in Ithaca in June 2022, with three generations of Cornellians and potential Cornellians sporting matching T-shirts. She says the Ithaca area remains gorgeous and elicited many fond memories.

Patty Stahl is still seeing clients in her private therapy practice and gets great satisfaction witnessing their success. She just published a book for kids and teens who are being bullied titled From “Loser” to Legend: How 60+ Celebrities Survived and Thrived After Bullying. She and her husband, Chet Morrison, are enjoying time with their family (two sons in their 30s). She happily reports getting good test results after cancer and that has led to lots of travel (“making hay while the sun shines”).

I was able to attend the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference in San Diego in February. Also in attendance was a local resident and classmate, Peter Pfau. As always, the programming was interesting and gave attendees a taste of the many things happening on campus. One speaker was Elaine Westbrooks, the new Carl A. Kroch University Librarian. She reminded everyone of the many different library locations on campus and how new technology affects the nature and delivery of services to students and faculty. Be on the lookout for an emailed invitation later this fall to hear more about the Cornell libraries. Elaine has kindly agreed to participate in a webinar for all members of the Class ’69 and our guests via Zoom.

For those of you who missed the March 16, 2023, Zoom program that was made specifically for our class featuring Cornell’s VP of Facilities and Campus Services, Rick Burgess, you can view a recording here. Thanks to all of you who shared news with us. We all enjoy hearing about how our classmates are doing. Acting correspondent and Class of ’69 co-president: ❖ Greg Baum (email Greg) | Alumni Directory.

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1970s

1970

I know as I start to write this column (in late March) that I will not be finishing it immediately. Yet, a very recent Cornell-laden set of experiences calls to me to write something now. At this moment, college sports are in the limelight, with basketball taking up the majority of television time. Kudos to Princeton, who at this moment is part of the “Sweet Sixteen” in basketball. Not well known is that they are the second Ivy to have gotten that far since the tournament went to 64 teams. Some of you may remember that the Big Red hoopsters were there in 2010. A few of you may know that the Red also did it in 1954, when there were only 16 teams to begin with. Penn has also had its moments, but we’ll leave that for another time.

Also going on at this time are the NCAA men’s and women’s hockey championships. Unfortunately, our women were not in the field this year. However, our men, after being eliminated from the ECAC tournament in an overtime 0-1 loss to Harvard, were chosen as one of the 16 teams in the NCAA tournament. Cornell subsequently shut out last year’s champion, University of Denver, 2-0, in the opening round, before losing to nemesis BU in the next round.

Much closer to home, and without as much pressure, your correspondent attended a minor league hockey game with other Cornellians in Geneva, IL, set up by David Harding ’72, BA ’71, PhD ’83. The home team, the Chicago Steel, is coached by former Cornell player Mike Garman ’12. This team (and league, USHL) has primarily a developmental purpose. Cornell’s excellent current goalie, Ian Shane ’25, spent time with the Steel, winning their league championship. Mike’s hockey experience and ability to communicate must be very good, as his team won the afternoon’s game by the unheard-of score of 7-1!

Murem Sakas Sharpe (Savannah, GA) writes that her entrepreneurial and business journey continues! “Following decades in marketing and general management leadership roles, in 2021 I joined TechCXO, a unique group of executives who apply their decades of experience and all the enthusiasm of tech founders to help grow the next generation of tech-enabled businesses. I’m a Revenue Growth partner, focusing on marketing, sales, and business development. As an interim chief marketing officer (CMO) or in an advisory role or project basis, I work closely with founders, management, and boards to develop effective business, product, and marketing strategies, generate demand, grow revenue, identify go-to-market strategies, achieve product-market fit, and coach key team members.

“My husband, Tom Sharpe ’69, continues in his capstone business role as broker-owner of Tom Sharpe Properties, guiding empty-nesters, snowbirds, and locals into wonderful homes in the Savannah area and also managing investment properties and HOAs, applying his amazing range of skills from engineering to finance to human relations. Our travels often revolve around visiting our children: Emily ’05, living in London with husband Stephen and John, our darling 1-year old grandson; and Eric (Savannah College of Arts and Design ’07), living in Atlanta with wife Carrie and Anika, our lively granddaughter. Among my volunteer activities I especially welcome serving as a Mayo Clinic-trained WomenHeart Champion involving support network meetings, hospital visits, advocacy sessions, and speaking at community meetings and health fairs to reach women with or at risk of heart disease. Y’all come visit us in Savannah!” Those interested in Murem’s WomenHeart program should find her contact info in the Alumni Directory.

I would like to thank my freshman roommate, Greg Turek ’70, for introducing me to art.

Paul Sherman ’70

Paul Sherman (Fulton, NY) has found a unique use for this column! His verbatim message follows: “As someone who was sent to a parochial school that had no art classes, I would like to thank my freshman roommate, Greg Turek, for introducing me to art when he loaned me a box of pastel chalks and told me to do a color rendering of any picture that I found interesting in a magazine. An hour later I returned the box of chalks and gave him a large picture of my favorite dog breed. Though I graduated with a degree in landscape design from the College of Agriculture, I went on to get my MFA, won a National Endowment for the Arts Award in sculpture, had my work appear in several books on ceramic art, and taught high school art in Upstate New York for 22 years. I’m now retired and devote my time to playing musical instruments in six community bands. Greg, I would love to hear from you.” If you are reading this, Greg or Paul, go to the Cornell Alumni Directory, as you are both in there!

Terry Leventhal Parker, MS ’71 (Tucson, AZ) has been living in Arizona since her 2010 retirement from her engineering career. Her serious pottery hobby has become an all-consuming part-time business activity, where she is fortunate enough to have a home studio in which to create her work. Her pottery is sold primarily online, or during hosted open studio events.

R. Daniel Ladd Jr. (Bethesda, MD) retired from government program management contracting in 2016. Being married to a Cornellian, Jill (Jayson) ’73, he has also been involved in carrying on the genealogy work of his mother, Carol Bowman Ladd ’43, who followed on from her mother, Lucille Bowman. He has found several interesting connections to CALS from his grandfather Carl E. Ladd 1912, PhD 1915, who was part of Cornell Extension from 1922–32, and dean of CALS and Hum Ec.

More recently, Dan has been traveling to Africa for wildlife photography opportunities. He gains the most satisfaction these days from watching his grandchildren play soccer and watching his newest grandson learn to talk.

So, now I will really need more notes, as I have only one left for the next column! Class dues notices went out in April, so you will have them—and the probable note request form—before you read this column. So please send what is happening for you, especially as the threat of COVID recedes. As always, you may contact me directly (see below), or you may use the University’s online news form. ❖ John Cecilia, MBA ’79 (email John) | Alumni Directory.

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1971

This month we would like to start with a thank you to all of you who have contributed to the University during the past year—with both your time and support. In particular, we would like to acknowledge the extraordinary commitment and philanthropy of four of our classmates, Jay, ME ’72, and Julie Reisner Carter, Andy Tisch, and Phil Bartels, who have all been in the CU news recently.

When Terry Cullen, a legendary figure in the sprint football community and the second-longest tenured coach in Cornell history, announced his retirement after 45 seasons as head coach of Cornell’s sprint football team, the Cornell Athletics department knew exactly who to turn to: our classmate Jay Carter, a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame and longtime president of the Sprint Football Alumni Association. Jay will serve as interim head coach until the permanent position is filled.

According to an article on the Athletics website, “Cullen and Carter have been linked for decades, ever since Jay played for Terry and his father, Bob, as a three-year starter for the Big Red. Carter joined his wife and classmate, Julie, in endowing the coaching position in 2001. He has chaired the Cornell University Council and in 2018 received the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award in recognition of outstanding university service.” In 2020, the Carters also established the Cornell Outdoor Education (COE) David Moriah Endowment, named for their friend David Moriah ’72, which gives students support to cover their course fees, eliminating the price barrier and allowing them to participate in the COE program.

In December 2022, the University announced a $20 million gift from Andy Tisch and his wife, Ann, that will “foster engagement and collaboration between Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), catalyzing new discoveries at the intersection of health and technology,” according to a WCM article. “The gift will support the recruitment of an inaugural chair of the new Department of Systems and Computational Biomedicine and will endow a professorship to be held by the chair; it will also endow one senior- and one junior-level professorship at Cornell Tech in the area of health technology.”

This gift continues the Tisch family tradition of generously supporting Cornell. In 2002, Andy and his brother James Tisch ’75 established the Andrew H. and James S. Tisch Distinguished University Professorship; a gift from Andy and Ann in 2008 established the Tisch University Professorships, one of Cornell’s highest faculty honors; a gift in 2010 supported WCM’s Discoveries that Make a Difference campaign, with a particular focus on neuroscience and cardiology; and a gift in 2016 created an endowed professorship at the Jacobs Institute.

Rick Zelman ’71 has been rereading classical literature, appreciating it much more now than he did as a youth.

Another recent article on the Athletics website—this one written by Cornell’s unofficial historian, Corey Earle ’07—told of our classmate Phil Bartels and his family’s history of generosity toward the Big Red. “Phil has followed in the footsteps of his parents, dedicating his time and energy to the University in myriad ways and continuing their philosophy of giving back. He has provided decades of thoughtful guidance and leadership as president of his class, vice chair of the Cornell University Council, and through [many] boards. Phil’s dedication to uplifting all aspects of the Cornell community is perhaps best demonstrated through the Bartels Awards for Custodial Service Excellence and Bartels Custodial Services Scholarships, which recognize outstanding building care staff and support scholarships for staff and their children. In 2020, he was honored with the Frank H.T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni Service Award, an honor that both his parents received in 2008.”

“As a former Big Red varsity swimmer,” Corey continued, “Phil has been a stalwart supporter of the swimming and diving program for decades, building a close relationship with coaching staff past and present. His gifts have touched every aspect of the program, including facilities upgrades, support and retention of coaching staff, and travel outside the region for training trips and invitationals. This past December, Phil’s support enabled the women’s and men’s teams to wrap up their fall semester at the Zippy Invitational in Akron, OH, followed by the men’s team’s training trip to Puerto Rico over the winter break.”

In other class news, Rick Zelman continues to practice commercial real estate law in South Florida because, he says, he still enjoys the stimulation. In summer and early autumn, you can find Rick up in Vermont escaping the heat and hurricanes of Miami. He has been rereading classical literature, appreciating it much more now than he did as a youth. His greatest satisfaction, however, continues to be found in his successful marriage of more than 50 years.

“Life is good” in McLean, VA, for Debbie Korenblatt Matz and her husband, Marshall. Debbie and Marshall recently celebrated their 45th anniversary in Hawaii, which Debbie says “never disappoints.” Since retiring as chair of the National Credit Union Administration during the Obama Administration, Debbie enjoys serving on both a corporate board and a civic board, doing yoga, and, best of all, spending time with her four grandchildren. In the D.C. area, she is in close touch with Beth Shapiro Stroul and Lynne Goldstein Silverstein. Recently, she had a wonderful time at brunch with Laurie Berke-Weiss and husband Brian Berke, and Dick ’67 and Eileen Barkas Hoffman ’69.

Debbie has also sustained a close friendship with Sandy Livingston Goldberg, who is retired from her position as a literacy specialist and director of the literacy program at the Gordon School, an independent school in East Providence, RI. Sandy’s spouse, Richard ’70, retired as chief of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at Rhode Island Hospital and a senior VP of the Lifespan Health System. He is a professor emeritus at Brown University. Recently, Rich applied the expertise developed in his medical practice to his love of the sport of golf in a book of essays, Better Golf Better Life (about the transformative power of golf), which has just been published. For “golfers and those trying to understand golfers,” the essays aim to “awaken readers to an understanding of how the challenges of golf contain overlooked possibilities for self-development.” The Goldbergs’ daughters, Jenna and Emily, and granddaughters live in Massachusetts and Brooklyn. Sandy and Rich recently enjoyed visiting with Pat Samuels Muhlrad and husband Jeff during a vacation in Palm Springs, CA. In addition to Debbie Matz, Sandy keeps in touch regularly with Cara Nash Iason and Shelley Fox Berne.

We look forward to hearing from you, so please send in your news! ❖ Cara Nash Iason (email Cara) | Elisabeth Kaplan Boas (email Elisabeth) | Alumni Directory.

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1972

Fellow classmates, this is Wes Schulz, ME ’73, one of four class correspondents who produce this column. We appreciate your input. As I write this, it is springtime here in South Texas—rather nice with warm sunny days and no bugs. As you are reading this, I hope you’re having a pleasant summer with no storms or droughts.

When not writing the Class Notes, I like to read. I recently completed a novel by former U.S. Congressman and longtime author Robert Mrazek ’67. It is titled And the Sparrow Fell, published by Cornell University Press. It is a coming-of-age story about two brothers who are at Cornell in the 1960s. The older brother becomes a swift boat commander who fights in the Vietnam War. The other brother joins the anti-war movement. Of course, there are lots of things Cornell in a book partially set in Ithaca and written by a Cornellian. I enjoyed the book very much and highly recommend it. The author did a great job in highlighting the aspects of the issues concerning the war and its impacts.

Turned out I had several attributes in common with the two main characters: from New York State; parents from Texas; younger brother went to Ithaca College (close but not Cornell); brought up in the Methodist Church; John F. Kennedy was my hero; climbed all the major peaks in the Adirondacks (ADK 46er); took a history class from Walter LaFeber; and had coffee with Father Daniel Berrigan. One major difference was that the protagonist was a chick magnet, whereas I was the opposite in my college days. It must have been my ubiquitous pocket protector and the slide rule hanging from my belt. Anyway, on to the class news.

This summer, Irwin Rosenfeld ’72 will produce and direct a comedy and magic show in which he will also perform some stand-up comedy.

Dianne Gwynne Berger, BS ’71, relates that she has been Zooming with Balch ’68–69 roommates Carol Jaffe Pratt, MS ’74, and Arlene Berger Schimmel, BA ’71, every couple of months. Dianne notes that they both failed to join her at Reunion 2022—but they now say they will join her in 2027. These days, Dianne gets the most satisfaction from “the babies!” She continues, “Grandbaby Charlie joined older siblings Henry and Rosalie and parents Joyce and Dan (my son) in Brooklyn on January 6. My other son Matt’s daughter Eloise amuses us all, including sibs Max, Evie, and Ben. I’ll get to be Ben’s ‘special person’ in his kindergarten class.”

Dianne likes the beaches in Sandy Hook, NJ, and Aruba! Other places include the Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park, Washington Square, Monmouth Boat Club, and her home in New Jersey above the Navesink River. Dianne’s favorite memory of Cornell: “The crocuses that spring up on Balch’s front lawn in the spring!”

Irwin Rosenfeld provided an update on his (unpaid) second career as an actor. In March, he acted in his 16th show in four years. This year, he was elected vice president of one of his acting groups, Theatre Guild of Laguna Woods. This summer, he will produce and direct a show for the first time. It is a comedy and magic show in which he will also perform some stand-up comedy. He also proudly reported that his oldest granddaughter (age 13) placed second in an original literature contest and first in a photography contest.

Thank you to all who have written in. Keep the news coming! As always, you may contact one of us directly, or use the University’s standard online news form. ❖ Wes Schulz, ME ’73 (email Wes) | Frank Dawson (email Frank) | Susan Farber Straus (email Susan) | Alex Barna (email Alex) | Alumni Directory.

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1973

Fellow Class of ’73 column scrivener Dave Ross will be reprising the highlights of our June 50th Reunion in our next edition because this column was submitted in mid-April.

Alan Lopena likes to send an update to Class Notes “at least once every 50 years” and wrote “while sitting in a little café in Lisbon, Portugal, eating grilled sardines and drinking cheap wine” on his and wife Theresa’s second around-the-world tour, over two months long. “Since retiring from large corporations some 15 years ago, we spend a disproportionate amount of time and money traveling the world. Each summer, we rent a beach villa in Mykonos for a month or so and typically spend the month of November eating and drinking our way across Paris. Our overarching goal is to hit 100 countries in 100 years—we currently sit at 78 (countries, not years). When we’re not sitting in an airport, we reside in a sleepy little town (Fair Haven) near the Jersey Shore and 50 miles south of NYC. Besides travel, I spend my free time collecting wines, hitting the gym, investing, ballroom dancing, and working on my small collection of classic European sports cars (a Jaguar, a Porsche, and a couple of Ferraris).” Alan maintains close contact with his Phi Kappa Psi fraternity brothers Mike Ramey, ME ’74, Gino Phillips, ME ’74, and Mike Ionata. “A sizable group of Phi Psis from our class will gather in Ithaca this June for a much anticipated 50th Reunion.” This Jersey Shore native (Toms River) looks forward to meeting Alan at Reunion.

Steve Mallon, who has been writing music for more than 20 years, reports that “retirement (from a career in architecture) has allowed me to take composition (particularly of choral music) more seriously. I was astounded and delighted to be selected as the winner of the 2023 ACDA Composition Focus Prize—a new initiative structured to meet identified gaps in repertoire needs of American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) members and their ensembles. The specific type of repertoire in the call varies from year to year; this inaugural call was for compositions for treble choirs and tenor/bass choirs. The contest drew over 100 applications from the U.S. and abroad. After careful deliberation, the ACDA’s panel of six judges selected my composition ‘Medusa’ as first prize for treble choirs. I credit the late Jonathan Kaplan, MBA ’74, for getting me started in choral music more than 50 years ago, when he heard me singing in the shower and persuaded me to audition for the Cornell Glee Club.”

Every Wednesday, Susan Murphy, PhD ’94, joins a group of fellow sorority sisters from Pi Beta Phi, organized by Lucy Hertel Staley when she retired, for an hour-long walk in Ithaca. It includes classmates (and retirees) Nancy Potter, MS ’90, when she is not with husband George Gull ’72 in Costa Rica working on providing clean water to rural communities, and Maryterese Pasquale-Bowen, MAT ’74. Kathy Coleman Weinberg ’74, JD ’77, and Siu-Sing Wong Shantur ’77 join the group on a regular basis. “We have enjoyed many of the local walking trails (Cornell Botanic Gardens, Sapsucker Woods, Black Diamond Trail, Lansing Trails, Ithaca Waterfront Trail, South Hill Recreation Way, East Hill Recreation Way, etc.) in all seasons and especially have enjoyed fostering friendships, some established more than 50 years ago!”

Our overarching goal is to hit 100 countries in 100 years—we currently sit at 78 (countries, not years).

Alan Lopena ’73

Another group of Pi Phi women meets monthly via Zoom, including the ’73 Pi Phis noted above, along with Brenda Knowlton, DVM ’78, Cimmy Warner Terry, Cyndy Hosie Gorman, and Mary Margaret Muggleton, MBA ’76. Organizer Linda Camp, MPS ’77, is a researcher, writer, and consultant focusing from a systems perspective on solo older adults, “people who, by choice or circumstance, are aging without the benefit of support historically provided by family.”

Patricia Rothbardt, newly relocated to Port St. Lucie, FL, writes, “I retired as general counsel of Reliance Insurance Company, sold my apartment in NYC, and moved to what had been my weekend house in the Hudson Valley. My husband, Michael Karpoff, and I now are joining the great migration from NYS to Florida. As part of my goodbye tour, I had lunch with my Cornell roommate and housemate Karen Goldberg, who is a clinical social worker seeing patients in NYC. Another apartment-mate, Anne Goldman Suzuki, is splitting her time between Hawaii and New York State.”

Several classmates attended the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference (CALC) in San Diego earlier this year, including Rich Saltz, MBA ’74, Marty Slye Sherman, MPS ’75, Wayne Merkleson, Bill Welker, and Leah Bissonette. In addition to getting Cornell updates, they met up with other alumni and staff members, including Elaine Westbrooks, the new Carl A. Kroch University Librarian. After attending CALC, Marty Sherman and Rich Saltz, together with their spouses, Jim Sherman and Lynn Rosenbluth Saltz ’75, spent a few days in the Sonoma wine country. Rich and Lynn are happy to report that daughter Marcy ’06 got engaged in mid-January.

Bill Welker, MBA ’75, proudly served as an honorary grand marshal for the Big Red Band’s Sy Katz ’31 Parade in the Big Apple on Saturday, November 19, a celebration of the parade’s 50th anniversary. Bill specifically was invited back for the parade because he had served as drum major for that initial 1972 parade down Fifth Avenue. “The Big Red Band sounded better than ever, especially in the cavernous acoustics of Midtown Manhattan’s 34th Street, and the student leaders really appreciated the incredible alumni turnout. This was the biggest event for the Big Red Band since 2019, before the pandemic, and all of the returning alumni had a good time.” ❖ Pam Meyers (email Pam) | Dave Ross (email Dave) | Phyllis Haight Grummon (email Phyllis) | Alumni Directory.

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1974

Dust off an old atlas or open your favorite map app and have a look at the course of the Nile River. I admit that my knowledge of Nile geography is sketchy south of the Aswan Dam, so it was a surprise to learn that classmate Ken Davies, MAT ’76, is vanilla farming along the Nile River in southern Uganda! He retired in 2015 after 27 years with the UN World Food Program, and in addition to his vanilla farm he enjoys “supporting youth soccer and spending time with family and friends.” He and his wife, Margrethe Juncker, have five sons and a daughter. Ken wrote, “If any friends/classmates are ever in Uganda, please come and visit! You are most welcome. My best to everyone from the Equator.” What an incredible invitation, and for those who are armchair travelers, do have a look online at Jinja, Uganda, near the junction of the Nile River and Lake Victoria.

I know even less about the world of long-distance running than I do about the course of the Nile, so I am going to let Milton Lorig do all the explaining! From Oakland, CA, where he lives with spouse Hiroko Sato, he wrote, “As a runner for 40 years and a foodie, I often combine these two passions and travel to run races here in the U.S. and in foreign lands. It became a driven goal to run the big marathons, especially the six Abbott World Marathon Majors, which are Boston, New York, Chicago, Berlin, London, and, most recently added, Tokyo. I had run all but Tokyo years earlier and put off Tokyo due to its rigid and unexplainable rules and regulations. Finally, though, I committed to trying to gain an entry (extremely difficult) and secured a charity entry for 2020, only to be left at the altar less than three weeks out due to the pandemic. On March 5, 2023, I got my sixth star medal; it was one of the hardest races for me to finish but I persevered. I had hoped to run a 4:10 but the onset of muscle cramping between miles 22 and 23 forced me to alter my pace, so I finished with a 4:19:56, placing me 71st out of 464 in my 70–74 age category.” Congratulations, Milton!

Back on U.S. soil there is news from Ron Pies, who recalls that a favorite memory of his time at Cornell is that of his “classes in philosophy and the humanities with Prof M.H. Abrams and Prof. Max Black. What a treasure these memories were.” Ron says he has retired from psychiatry, “but I have recently published a collection of my writing, titled Psychiatry at the Crossroads. I try to chart a holistic, humanistic course for my profession.” If you plan to read Ron’s latest book, you’ll quickly discover he is renowned in his field and has published extensively—everything from textbooks and journal articles to novellas.

Ken Davies ’74, MAT ’76, is vanilla farming along the Nile River in southern Uganda!

Jim Hood shared that his oldest child died of an overdose in 2012, and as a result Jim has taken on the running of a nonprofit organization that “tackles the mental health and substance misuse issues among America’s teens and young adults.” His work with Generation S.O.S. has been an all-consuming project, taking up to 60–70 hours a week of his time, “with the goal of saving the life of a teen or young adult.” Jim and his wife, Julia, who live in Westport, CT, have three more children “making their way through this challenging world.” Jim goes on to say, “I try to listen to Masterclass or audiobooks whenever I can. I am constantly challenging myself to learn as much as I can.” Have a look at the Generation S.O.S. website or Facebook page to learn about the work Jim’s organization is doing.

While you’re online, you can also see a short video of C. Evan Stewart, JD ’77, who has been teaching Cornell’s Prelaw Program in NYC for 17 years. He describes his summer program, which, if I read the fine print correctly, is not only open to those undergrads who have completed their sophomore year, but also to those who have graduated from college. The course sounds wonderful.

At this point I am assuming you have re-shelved your old atlas or closed the tab to your favorite map website—and that would have been a big mistake, as Howard Fries, ME ’75, and his spouse, Luky Ningtyas-Fries, are living in Rogun City, Tajikistan! He wrote, “After being retired back in 2019, I quickly took on another project in Tajikistan, working on what will be the world’s tallest dam: the 335-meter Rogun Dam. I have been working on infrastructure and hydro projects since 1995, in China, Laos, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia. When we do retire, we plan on settling in Thailand.” His favorite memories from his time at Cornell include “participating on the Big Red football team when Ed Marinaro ’72, BS ’73, was fighting for the Heisman; taking care of hockey and football concessions in my senior and grad years, and hanging with my brothers of Zeta Psi!” When thinking about what brings him the most satisfaction these days, he says, “Doing something worthwhile for work and waking up each morning!” Finally, Howard is on his way to Thailand for a knee replacement. “Will that bring a smile to anyone? Hmm.”

Wherever you live, we value your news! ❖ Molly Miller Ettenger (email Molly) | Jim Schoonmaker (email Jim) | Alumni Directory.

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1975

If there is a prevalent theme of recent news received from classmates during the past few months, it’s been travel, as folks have visited locales nearby and around the world. After a trip to Africa in March 2022, Elyse Byron escaped the cold winds and snow of Chicago again to enjoy a truly unique visit to Vietnam and Cambodia in January 2023. Her 20-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City took her to a mix of modern and ancient experiences such as beautiful gardens and sunsets, Vietnamese markets, a Mekong River boat ride, and walks through wartime-era Vietcong tunnels … all in 100-degree-plus temperatures. Cambodia brought other unforgettable events including riding an oxen limousine, receiving a blessing in the Wat Hanchey monastery, and marveling at the colorful Royal Palace and temples. The journey of a lifetime!

Greg and Laurie Musick Wright also left the cold of Upstate New York to join daughter Alisha, enjoying the warmer weather and healing waters of Mexico. For two weeks they basked in the sunshine at Hacienda Tres Rios, a land of extraordinary peace and beauty. Who can possibly turn down the enticement of daily walks through the rainforest, stunning sunsets over the ocean, kayaking on calm waters, viewing the local flora and fauna, and the sumptuous food of the Caribbean? Soon after, their travels took them to England, where they spent the March 21 spring equinox at Stonehenge marking the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and enjoying experiences quite different than those of Mexico.

The American West was the destination for other Cornell classmates. Mark and Christine “Ting” Magill Kamon braved the cold and massive snowfalls to ski in Park City, UT, in February, when each storm laid another waist-deep layer of white stuff down. Great skiing, they claimed! Off to another cold location in March, when Ting and Mark spent a few days in Quebec City, Canada. Back home in Chestertown, MD, they enjoy hosting their three children and many grandchildren at their riverfront home, boating, golfing, and staying connected with their Cornell friends.

The West also called James Seeley, JD ’79, away from his work as a lawyer in Syracuse, NY, as Jim and his two children, Faith and Robbie, flew to Utah for winter hiking in the picturesque Bryce Canyon National Park, to see the stunning red rocks topped with white snow. Jim and his wife, Beth Wright-Seeley ’76, also traveled from their home in Marcellus, NY, to Baltimore this spring, where their son, a senior at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, resumed his role as a highly rated lacrosse goalie against Johns Hopkins and Towson universities. Several Cornellians were in attendance to cheer on the St. Joe’s team and imbibe in post-game festivities, including Mark and Ting Kamon, John ’73, ME ’74, and Deborah McCoy Paxton, BS Nurs ’77, Wendy and Mark Clemente ’73, MPS ’77, Tina and Mike Sandul ’76, Scott Keenum ’76, and me, Joan Pease.

Over many years I have had the opportunity to meet and work with people from nearly 80 countries, starting with my Cornell friends!

Vincent Spione ’75

Travel for Thomas Santone has involved frequent trips to State College, PA, and overseas destinations for business, as well as flights to Idaho to visit his daughter, Elizabeth. After receiving her PhD in psychology, Elizabeth relocated to Twin Falls, ID, where she works as a therapist and counselor for troubled children in a challenging wilderness counseling program. Tom’s son, Mike, is the new father of sweet Sadie Laurie, who has definitely captured her grandfather’s heart. When not practicing law in Pittsburgh, Tom is frequently found running (including 10 marathons!), golfing, and/or meeting up with local friends. Tom’s Psi Upsilon fraternity brother Raymond Ricci was recently in touch from the West Coast, where Ray is an emergency medicine physician in sunny Newport Beach, CA.

Vincent Spione has sent in his first update in 50 years! He is happily retired from many years of service to others. Early years were spent in Louisiana working with and directing support systems for people with disabilities. After more than 20 years, he joined a quality assurance group to develop and implement an accountability system that measured the adoption and foster care services in Arkansas. His career path changed one last time when he accepted an offer from an international NGO. As the deputy director for program design and evaluation, Vincent says, “I had the time of my life traveling the globe measuring the impact of sustainable development projects in more than 50 countries. Over many years I have had the opportunity to meet and work with people from nearly 80 countries, starting with my Cornell friends! This has been one of the major impacts on my life.”

Throughout his career, Vincent was also able to hone his photography skills and publish many of his images internationally. Since his retirement in 2013, he has continued with photography, building his portfolio and websites and updating his book. Vincent’s images continue to be exhibited, purchased, and published worldwide. “Tricia, my wife of 34 years, and I continue to enjoy travel—and we consider ourselves true travelers, visiting out-of-the-way destinations and avoiding the traps of tourism. I fondly remember and hold close the memories of my times with the hockey team and the place those memories hold in my overall Cornell experience. I am fortunate to have kept in touch with them. I visited campus in 2022 and enjoyed the beauty of Ithaca and the memories that the visit brought back.”

Like so many of us this year, Rodney Zelenka, BA ’77, just turned 70. Besides his career in many fields, specifically in real estate development in Panama, Rodney is also a successful artist/painter/sculptor. In 2022 he exhibited in three solo museum shows in Mexico and one in NYC, resulting in many articles written about these unique contemporary shows. He encourages you to follow his Instagram and check out his website.

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

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1976

Please send us your news when you receive the News & Dues mailing so we can hear about what is happening in your life.

Paul Stander writes that he has just passed his 67th birthday. He said that he seems to be among a dwindling number of members of our class who are still working full time, and he is fine with that. After 28 years at Banner Health in Phoenix, AZ, including 21 years as the chief medical officer at Banner-University Medical Center, he is now in his ninth year as the chief of geriatrics at the Phoenix V.A. Health System. This involves administration, clinical care, and teaching for students, residents, and fellows as a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine–Phoenix. Despite full-time work, he finds the time to travel, including trips to Ireland and South Africa in 2022 and Morocco later in 2023. Also, as a Philly native, he managed to have the distinction of watching, in person, as his home teams, the Phillies and the Eagles, both lost the World Series and the Super Bowl in the same year. “Oh well, at least we got there.”

Bruce ’76 and Kim Stone Reisch ’84 are taking their camper to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River to watch whales (including belugas)!

According to Per Ostman, it’s been way too long since his last update. His older son, Per ’04, BA ’06, married Sarah (Reilly) ’09 and lives in Beacon Hill. Our classmate Per and wife Susan now have a granddaughter, Astra Rose! (Sarah’s father and older brother are also Cornellians.) Their younger son, David, now lives with his fiancée, Matylda, in Gothenburg, Sweden, after living in Iceland for the past nine years, where they met while working on their graduate degrees at the University of Iceland. While continuing to play rugby in Europe, David is in the green energy field while Matylda is focused on carbon sequestration technologies. Susan retired (again) from her career in early childhood education and Per is staying busy in semi-retirement with his management consulting/strategic planning business. Per says it was great to see so many ATO Cornell brothers at our Reunion last July in Ithaca. Andy O’Neill, also an ATO, now lives only a couple of miles away with his wife. All of them are enjoying life on the Cape!

After 43 years on the Cornell faculty and researching grapevine breeding and genetics, Bruce Reisch is retiring. Kim (Stone) ’84 and Bruce are looking forward to taking their camper up north in August to the mouth of the St. Lawrence River to watch whales (including belugas)! They plan to spend a week near Tadoussac, Quebec. Their three children all live and work in Boston; two are married and the youngest, Cornell Class of ’17, has a wonderful partner, also in the Cornell Class of ’17. Both Kim and Bruce are active in community and religious affairs locally and, for Kim, also on a statewide level. ❖ Lisa Diamant (email Lisa) | Pat Relf Hanavan (email Pat) | Alumni Directory.

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1977

What we lack in quantity this month, we hopefully make up for in quality. We have news from Brian Dunn, MBA ’81, who has been very busy of late. Brian and his wife, Kathleen, live in Hampton Bays, NY, but Brian is presently in Ithaca, where he is teaching a course called “Executive Compensation and Corporate Governance.” He teaches at both the undergraduate (ILR School) and graduate level (MBA and MILR), and this is his seventh year teaching this two-credit, seven-week class.

Conveniently, Brian says he avoids the worst of winter, which apparently has only gotten marginally better since we graduated. He also says that there is much to enjoy on campus that he never took advantage of when he was a student—highlighting the difference between being a student and a faculty member. In addition to lecturing, he still does compensation consulting and has recently begun doing expert witness work in the area of compensation. His biggest case so far was the trial in Delaware against Elon Musk and Tesla’s board.

In the last few years, since COVID abated, Brian and his wife have been catching up on travel. They visited Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona to do some wonderful hikes. Their next trip was to Alaska with the kids, where he visited his 49th state—only South Dakota remains. This year they went to a wedding in Rome, then joined Johnson classmates Steve ’79, MBA ’81, and Shauna Ryan King, MBA ’81, for a tour of Eastern Europe including Prague, Budapest, Serbia, Croatia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania. They just returned from a month in Spain (the Basque Region) and Valencia. In October, they head to the Galápagos with a number of fellow Cornellians from both undergraduate and grad days, including Eileen McGrath ’78, Doug Young ’78, Sheree Levitsky ’77, Bill Reynolds, MBA ’81, Carl Forsythe, MBA ’82, Shauna Ryan King, Keith Lewis, MBA ’81, and Jon, MBA ’81, and Susan Bleckman Beyman ’80. Wow, talk about COVID revenge travel. Brian feels that he has so much to be grateful for. Retirement has been a wonderful thing—although it sounds as if retirement has been as busy as pre-retirement.

In the absence of any additional class news, your correspondent will give you an update of what he has been doing (yet another reason why you should send in news about yourselves). After five years working as medical director of the Advanced Heart Failure, Heart Transplant, and Mechanical Circulatory Support programs at Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA (reputed to be the sweetest place on Earth), I accomplished what I was recruited to do out there: improve patient outcomes and the number of heart transplants. In 2021, we had the best outcomes in the region and among the best in the country.

In Ithaca, Brian Dunn ’77, MBA ’81, is teaching at both the undergraduate (ILR School) and graduate level (MBA and MILR).

On May 1, 2023, I moved to the Jefferson Heart Institute at Thomas Jefferson University in Center City, Philadelphia, where I am director of research in the Advanced Heart and Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program. I never moved to Hershey but either commuted out there, participated in meetings by Zoom, or stayed overnight when I was on transplant call. It is great to be working back in Philly and reuniting with old friends and patients and working with a fantastic group of nurses and physicians. I have the opportunity to see patients (many of whom I have followed for over 20 years), mentor younger physicians, teach, and do research.

I have been working with the Xenotransplant Working and Investigational Group (a.k.a. X-WING), led by the group at the University of Maryland who did the pig heart xenotransplant (the term for transplants from another species) in January 2022. This research may offer the opportunity to increase the number of transplants and reduce time and deaths on the transplant waiting list—but a lot needs to be worked out before it becomes mainstream. I am also working on developing strategies for improving outcomes after human-to-human heart transplants, as well as improving heart failure therapies so that fewer people will progress to the point where they would need heart transplants.

I have also been working on the second edition of my book, appropriately titled Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Guide to Pathophysiology and Clinical Care; it’s interesting scientifically, but there’s not much of a plot. I also edited a book that was published last year titled Pharmacology of Immunosuppression—also scientifically compelling but lacking in plot. I had the honor of being the program chair of the 2023 International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) Scientific Sessions and Annual Meeting, which was held in Denver, CO (our motto: “Rocky Mountain High, Colorado”).

I brought together a great, diverse, international group of program committee members including physicians, nurses, and scientists from five continents who—along with the great staff of the ISHLT—put on a world-class scientific and educational meeting. My wife, Judy Wolf, MD ’81, and I plan to travel to Canada this summer and to the Netherlands and Belgium in the fall. Our son, Jonathan, is a hospital physician at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and our daughter, Miriam “Mimi” ’13, is a historian in Washington, DC, with a special interest in Reconstruction after the Civil War. Well, enough about me.

Please keep all your news and views coming in via the online news form. ❖ Howie Eisen (email Howie) | Mary Flynn (email Mary) | Alumni Directory.

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1978

Greetings, classmates! If you’re looking for news on our 45th Reunion, you’ll have to wait until the next column. In the meantime, there were two pre-Reunion events of note. The first one was the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference last February in San Diego. Along with yours truly, Kent Sheng, BA ’82, Pat Reilly, Sharon Palatnik Simoncini, Bill Cavanaugh, Mike Bernard, Angela DeSilva, and Patty Stone Ortenberg were in attendance. The weather was nearly perfect, and it was wonderful to see classmates in person rather than on Zoom.

The second pre-Reunion event was the Run-Up to Reunion Zoom Happy Hour on April 16, organized by Mary Bowler and other class officers. More than 35 attendees shared thoughts on second acts, volunteering, traveling, and general topics. I co-moderated the “bucket list sessions” with Kathy Morris Duggan. My former fellow South Bakerites Donna Perine Spinella, MBA ’86, and Elaine Zajac Jackson were in attendance, along with former roommate Suzanne Tougas Snedeker. Doug Baumoel logged in from Cornell, where he was visiting his son. Former Daily Sun sports editor David Bilmes moderated a session on Cornell sports during our era. The after-hour rooms were named after bands that played at Cornell during our time there. I was in the Beach Boys room with the aforementioned Suzanne, Randy Nixon, Jeanne Arnold-Schwetje (see below), and Eliot Feibush, MS ’81. Special thanks to Nancy Law ’84 and to Mary Bowler’s daughter Sophie Jones ’20 for their assistance with the technical aspects of Zoom.

Polly Kreisman’s experience as a writer, producer, and 15-time Emmy-winning investigative reporter has led to her episodic TV and film career. In the last couple of years, she has booked supporting roles on “The Girls on the Bus” (coming later in 2023 on HBO) “The Undoing” (HBO), “The Plot Against America” (HBO), based on the novel by Philip Roth, CBS’s “Tommy,” “The Blacklist” on NBC, and “Hunters” on Amazon Prime. She also appears in the film Mr. Harrigan’s Phone on Netflix. During her journalism career, Polly reported for WPIX-TV, WNBC-TV, and WWOR-TV in New York and worked as a Capitol Hill correspondent in Washington. She has also produced pieces for ABC News, MSNBC, and other stations. Polly lives in Larchmont, NY, and has 21-year-old twins, one of whom is a daughter at Cornell in the Class of 2024.

Polly Kreisman ’78’s experience as a writer, producer, and 15-time Emmy-winning investigative reporter has led to her episodic TV and film career.

Jeanne Arnold-Schwetje has acquired the theater bug. She writes, “I have been active in my local North Fork Community Theatre (NFCT). I appeared in the musical The Producers as Shirley and part of the ensemble in spring 2022. Then I was Tranio in Taming of the Shrew as an actor with Northeast Stage, which does Shakespeare in the Park each summer. I assisted with lighting and management on another musical, then I was stage manager for Cry-Baby in fall 2022. In January I danced in a tap-dance number in a variety show at NFCT. Next, I was stage manager for Ripcord. I am now taking a break from theater, but thoroughly enjoyed working with talented local directors, casts, and crew on all of these productions. I’m also spending lots of time in lower Manhattan with my daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren.” Jeanne attended the 2022 Reunion as part of the Continuous Reunion Club and sang with Cornell Chorus members past and present at its centennial celebration. Among Jeanne’s favorite memories were singing at Carnegie Hall with Michael Tilson Thomas directing and meeting Jerry Garcia backstage at the Grateful Dead concert in 1977.

Jonathan Honig and his wife, Eveline, were “thrilled to welcome our first grandchildren in summer 2022, identical twins at that. We journeyed to Rome and Sicily for a big birthday with all of our children and had, as always, a wonderful time in Italy. Now we are back from another big birthday trip to Israel with three of our four children. Fabulous experience.” Also in the travel vein, Cynthia Kubas and Paul Varga ’79 traveled to Hawaii. They dined with Jay Henry and golfed with Dave Monahan. My co-correspondent, Ilene Shub Lefland, spent the early part of March cruising up the Nile River. She had a “Luxor” time. (Cue rim shot.)

Sympathy goes out to Stephen Kesselman, JD ’81, whose son Samuel ’23, BS ’22, died on March 27, five months after sustaining serious injuries in a hit and run accident in Washington, DC.

That’s all for now. Tune in next time for a recap of our 45th Reunion. Stay well! ❖ Cindy Fuller, PhD ’92 (email Cindy) | Ilene Shub Lefland (email Ilene) | Alumni Directory.

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1979

Summer greetings from NYC! I am happy to report that, a solid three-plus years since the pandemic stopped us all in our tracks, many classmates have resumed travel and are up to a host of interesting activities.

Janet Goldin Rubin reports that son Eric married Talia Rosenberg in November, while daughter Rachel is engaged to Holden McGinnis, with a wedding in the works. A long-delayed mother/daughter trip to Japan (originally planned for March 2020) finally took place this past May. Janet is enjoying her two grandchildren: Ben, who will be 5 in January, and Emily, who turned 2 in March. She and her husband have joined the growing ranks of those who are finding themselves heading south for at least part of the year. “I never thought I would be a snowbird, but it’s looking that way,” she admits. Janet is “happy to connect with any Cornellians who are spending time in Delray Beach, FL.” This summer, Janet and Nancy Sverdlik plan to attend a Cornell’s Adult University (CAU) program for the week of July 17.

Ron McCray wrote in, saying he has “concluded an enriching run as a Cornell trustee in 2022” and currently is “enjoying the extra time serving on boards. Inspired by President Skorton, I am performing as a musician in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.” He thanks classmate Cindy Ahlgren Shea and Elliott Barnes ’82, MArch ’85, for helping him secure an apartment in France.

Leslie Bulion of Durham, CT, announced that her “newest science poetry collection for young readers, Galápagos: Islands of Change, gorgeously illustrated by Becca Stadtlander, published in March and is available wherever books are sold.” Leslie is “thrilled to share this exploration of one of Earth’s remarkable and complex ecosystems!” Additional information is available here.

Mark Wilson, MBA ’80, and his wife, Denise Rempe ’80, spent the first half of January on an “excellent” CAU tour in Egypt and Jordan. Their Egyptian itinerary included Cairo, Luxor, cruising on the Nile, Aswan, and Abu Simbel, while the Jordanian leg of the trip included Petra, the nearby desert, and Jerash. Mark believes “the sites should be a ‘must see’ on anyone’s bucket list,” and he heartily endorses CAU tours and summer programs. “The guides were excellent and the Cornell faculty highly informative. Given the security situation in Egypt, a group tour is the only way to go, though Jordan can be visited by individuals that don’t mind a bit of an adventure.”

Inspired by President Skorton, I am performing as a musician in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.

Ron McCray ’79

Margie Wang and her husband, Bill, have been covering a lot of ground as well. In November 2022, they spent a week on Hawaii’s Big Island with Wendy Schaenen, MD ’83, and her husband, Anand Jagannath, MD ’83. This past February, they enjoyed two weeks with friends in Lisbon and the Algarve, and in early April they went to Maui, their “happy place.” Margie also reports that daughter Marlene Wang ’11 moved back to New Jersey with her husband, Tom Hudson ’11, after finishing her retina surgery fellowship at Harvard’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear. The couple is expecting a baby, Margie and Bill’s first grandchild. Son Alexander ’14 is living in NYC and working at L’Oréal in marketing for the Garnier line.

Cindy Green’s 47th “freshman suitemate reunion” took place in Manhattan on February 24–26, a gathering of six Low Rise 7 residents who met during our freshman year. Celebrating with Cindy were Elena Rodriguez, Allison Gay Kirchner, and Karen Cornelius ’78, BArch ’79 (a sophomore in 1975 studying in the five-year architecture program), as well as David Goldston ’78, and Randy Strongin Weiss ’78. Gloria Maisto Cohen was unfortunately unable to attend this year. Activities included shared lunches and dinners, two tours at the New-York Historical Society, and the Broadway show Kimberly Akimbo. Cindy reflects, “We all feel like our freshman year together was just a few years ago; it was very hard to come to grips with the fact that it was 47 YEARS AGO!” The group intends to continue their tradition and foster their collective bond moving forward. Cindy also provided news of her Cornell-connected family: younger daughter Aliza Cohen ’18 is living and working in NYC, while (at press time) her son, Ben Cohen, is completing his MBA from Cornell’s Johnson School. Toddler grandson Dax (son of older daughter Claudia Cohen ’09) “loves to wear his Cornell hat,” which makes Cindy wonder if he “will become a Cornell ’43 student!”

As for personal news, I (Danna Levy) am just back from eight days in Mexico City, a fabulously complex city worthy of a visit from anyone who enjoys excellent food, great art, rich history, and an exciting urban environment. Next up is a late June trip to Northern California, one of the final stops on the Major League Baseball stadium tour my husband, Jeff Riback ’75, and I embarked on several years ago. On the home front, we are very proud of our daughter, Jaclyn, who, with two small children, left a career in PR to go back to school, earning a master’s degree in social work from Fordham, specializing in working with foster families with mental health issues.

Before leaving for Mexico, I caught up with the members of my “Class of ’79 lunch circle”: fellow Manhattanites Wendy Nacht, Nancy Sverdlik, and Debra Kishinsky Lewis. This time, it was great to be joined by Westchester resident Jamie Hochman Dean, who was in Manhattan for the day.

Please update us on your travels and other personal and family news; without your contributions, we have no column! Submit your news via the Share Your News form, the online news form, or emails sent directly to any of your class correspondents: ❖ Danna Levy (email Danna) | Linda Moses (email Linda) | Cynthia Ahlgren Shea (email Cynthia) | Alumni Directory.

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1980s

1980

It’s been a slow two months for Class of 1980 news. This makes me feel the same way I felt on some stormy winter days freshman year. For every few steps I would make it up Libe Slope from my West Campus dormitory, I would slip back about the same distance on the ice and snow. Please don’t do this to me, classmates! Send me your news!

I do have news to share from a few classmates. Margo Sue Randall Bittner, owner of Bittner-Singer Orchards and the Winery at Marjim Manor, both located in Appleton, NY, reports she recently received the Lions Club International Service Award, one of the few awards that must be approved by the Lions International president. You can read all about it here.

Sue is married to fellow classmate Jim, who was mentioned in the last Class Notes column for receiving the New York Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award (their highest honor!). Sue and Jim were married in Anabel Taylor Hall in August 1979. True Cornellians through and through.

Since graduating law school in 1983, Thomas Schwab has been living in New Orleans, where he loves the music, food, and people. Tom has two sons and a daughter, all three of whom have children of their own. Tom is still practicing law on his own, though doing just enough to keep the lights on.

I was up on a tower for the 1977 Grateful Dead concert, operating a 1960s vintage ‘Super Trouper’ carbon arc spotlight.

Chas Horvath ’80, ME ’81

A few classmates on the Class of 1980 Facebook page report that they attended the recent Dead & Company concert at Barton Hall, including Todd Wolleman and John Dowd. The May 1977 Grateful Dead concert at Barton Hall is considered by many to be the greatest Grateful Dead concert of all time and many of us were there! I (Chas Horvath, ME ’81) was up on a tower for the 1977 concert, operating a 1960s vintage “Super Trouper” carbon arc spotlight. At face value it sounds really cool, but in reality one is wearing headsets and pre-occupied taking orders from the show’s lighting director to constantly adjust color, focus, and aim, while also having periodically to shut down and quickly replace the red hot carbon arc rods used by the spotlight.

These days my wife, Mary, and I continue to enjoy our 1850s Victorian home in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. JP, as it is called locally, has the most greenspace of any Boston neighborhood, including the 485-acre Franklin Park (Boston’s largest greenspace) and the 281-acre Arnold Arboretum (the oldest public arboretum in North America), both designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Mary and I moved here a few years ago when our nest emptied. A major never-ending pastime is working on the restoration of our “new” house. ❖ Chas Horvath, ME ’81 (email Chas) | David Durfee (email David) | Leona Barsky (email Leona) | Dik Saalfeld (email Dik) | Alumni Directory.

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1981

Summer is here and time is marching on! I love the summer (though not the heat in Florida) because it’s always a time to catch up and take some vacation. I am looking forward to taking my son, Brayden, to sleepaway camp (NJY Cedar Lake Camp) in Milford, PA, and visiting with friends in the area. I always go to Marblehead, MA, so I’ll be looking for Karen Levine Whitman for our annual visit! I just went to a great event in Boca Raton, FL, where Dean Colleen Barry of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy spoke about the new school! It is in Martha Van Rensselaer Hall on the Ithaca campus, in case you were wondering!

Also spending time in Florida is Mike Staun, ME ’82, MBA ’83. He and his hometown sweetheart, Pam Kroeger, were married in Cincinnati on August 15, 1981. Their first home was a basement apartment on Cayuga Lake just north of the Ithaca Yacht Club. What it lacked in space, it made up for with an expansive view of the lake. Pam worked as an RN at Tompkins County Memorial Hospital, while Mike attended grad school. They spent three fantastic weeks traveling around Europe before he started his career with Procter & Gamble. They had their first child, Katie, in October 1983, their second, Jeanna, in November 1985, and their third, Michael Jr., in September 1994.

P&G took the Stauns from Cincinnati to Jackson, TN, to Puerto Rico, and then back to Cincinnati. Mike saw a good part of the world including India, China, Japan, Russia, almost all of Europe, and Latin America, and worked with some incredibly smart and talented people in his 36 years with P&G. He also had the honor of serving on several boards including for the Lean Construction Institute. He now does a bit of consulting as a senior advisor to McKinsey & Company, as a way of staying connected and giving back to the engineering and construction industry. They have one grandchild, Evie, going on 2, from their older daughter. After retiring in July 2019, they bought a second house in Bradenton, FL, and started wintering there. As Mike says, “It’s really nice being able to swim, bike, run, and play golf year-round, and it’s a real treat to be able to wear shorts and flip-flops in the middle of winter.” I’ll second that!

Richard Colletti lives in Avon, CT, and has been a veterinarian for 34 years. He has six children; his oldest daughter is also a veterinarian and will take over his practice when he retires. His other children are a U.S. forestry ranger, a physician assistant, a cybersecurity engineer, a poultry facility manager, and a recent high school graduate who does boxing. Richard has two wolfhounds from Scotland and a standard poodle as well as a green-winged macaw and an eclectus parrot.

Christine Glazier Mandel, from Penfield, NY, tells us that after raising two Cornellian daughters and working in the horticulture industry, she’s retired and volunteering with husband Barry, ME ’82, with the Joe Wilson Science Consultant Program at the Rochester (NY) Museum & Science Center. They bring hands-on science lessons to students in the city school district. She continues her love of gardening on their 10 acres. Also upstate, in Binghamton, NY, is Roderick “Sam” Kryger. He has been married for 40 years, and they have two children and three granddaughters. Sam assisted with the development and construction of the Hope Lake Lodge, Cascades Indoor Waterpark, European spa, and Outdoor Adventure Center, all at the Greek Peak Mountain Resort. He is currently VP of operations for Vista Hospitality, which owns and operates numerous hotel properties.

During school, Scott Smyers ’81 had a job with Cornell Space Science, and that launched him (so to speak) into a career at NASA.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Stephen Silvia now lives in Bethesda, MD, and teaches at American University. Karen Skubik married fellow classmate Casey Hoy, PhD ’88, in 1982 and moved to Ohio. Karen’s career was spent in research and administration in the biotechnology field, with a break to raise their two children. She recently retired from the USDA. They plan to continue enjoying life, being kind to others, and traveling to visit their kids in Montana and Wisconsin and beyond.

On the West Coast, Scott Smyers told us that during school he had a job with Cornell Space Science, and that launched him (so to speak) into a career at NASA Ames Research Center. It was a fantastic job, he says, that allowed him to fly in some of the cool NASA experimental airplanes. Great as a new grad, but not great for someone trying to start a family (pay was very poor relative to industry). So he got a job at AMD and instantly doubled his salary. That got him into Apple, then Sony, working on networked consumer devices. For the last 10 years, he’s been a consultant, worked for a startup, and spent some time attending standards committee meetings. Not one to hang up the skates early, he’s now working on landing his next gig. On the personal front, he married his Cornell sweetheart, Shelley (Lee) ’84, and they’ve been together all the way. Now, their son is a camera operator in L.A., and their daughter is “crushing it” at Stanford and serving as coxswain on the Stanford crew team.

Al Stammers tells us that he is a grandfather to a wonderful grandson, and he’s homesteading in the woods and mountains of Pennsylvania. “Not quite off-grid, but close.” Al says that his life has turned out quite different than what he imagined. He went into cardiovascular medicine as a perfusionist, where he has spent the past 35 years. He notes that this has been extremely rewarding both personally and professionally.

Talking to us from the Carolinas, David Boraks, a climate reporter for radio station WFAE, took part in NPR’s first climate summit in June in Washington, DC. As one of 16 participants from across the country, David heard from speakers, attended training sessions, and discussed climate topics. For the past two years, he has been a member of NPR’s environment and climate team, which is evolving into a larger NPR Climate Collaborative. David is a veteran journalist who has covered environmental stories for WFAE since 2016. In 2021, he produced “Asbestos Town,” which won Best Radio Documentary of 2021. From 2006 to 2015, Dave published the online community news network DavidsonNews.net. He has been an editor and reporter at the Charlotte Observer, American Banker, and others.

I want to hear from more of you and write about each of you. Stay well and stay healthy! Please be in touch with us and let me know what you’re up to! ❖ Betsy Silverfine (email Betsy) | Alumni Directory.

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1982

Anne Lyon League is the newest classmate to post an update to our class “memory book.” Anne is a physician at Universal Health Services, living in Colorado Springs, CO. She got her master’s degree and then a medical degree at Georgetown University. An Army scholarship helped pay for school and then she spent seven years as an officer in the Medical Corps. Anne ended up in Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, where she met her husband; they have two kids.

Becky Thorne Tin wrote from Charlotte, NC, where she and husband Noell reside. Becky’s journey since graduation includes a master’s degree from the New School for Social Research in NYC, followed later by a JD from Harvard Law. Most recently, she was a judge for the Mecklenburg County District Court bench, where she presided over family law, domestic violence, landlord/tenant, and civil jury trials as well as criminal court. She stepped down from the bench in December 2018, right after the swearing in of her oldest son, Carl, to the North Carolina State Bar. Her two other adult kids are Will, a first responder/EMT in Mecklenburg County, and Kiran ’21, who works with the Campaign for Southern Equality, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. She adds that her husband is managing partner of Tin Fulton Walker & Owen, where he practices criminal law.

Jeremy Reiskin is currently director, research and analysis, at Northrop Grumman. He retired as senior intelligence executive, directorate of analysis, at the Central Intelligence Agency. Shirley Stewart Prosser and husband Sean are living in Herndon, VA. Shirley retired from MITRE Corporation in 2020, keeps busy playing the piano and hammered dulcimer, and is learning to paint. She writes, “I have a passion for birds and have worked on conservation projects to protect migratory pathways. I frequently see my Cornell friends who live nearby.”

Keith Crawford lives in Washington, DC, and is a program officer at the Division of AIDS, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH. He left Cornell and went on to study clinical pharmacy at Temple University and then pursued a PhD in pharmacology at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the NIH. Keith has served in academia (Howard University College of Medicine; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine), conducting translational and clinical research and clinical practice, and has engaged in global health research in Africa through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Program. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking, cycling, physical fitness, wildlife and nature, theater, art collecting, international travel, and safaris. Keith also mentors in a youth enrichment and esteem-building program for African American male teens from underserved communities.

Reading and then meeting Kurt Vonnegut ’44 on a few occasions certainly shifted my perspective on life.

Bruce Dzinski ’82, BS ’95

Bruce Dzinski, BS ’95, lives in Mullica Hill, NJ, and is director, international logistics at Party City Holdings. What courses, people, or experiences influenced him the most at Cornell? “Surprisingly, ‘Managerial Accounting 323’ taught me a lot about life. Scrambling to meet deadlines was great training for future project management. The number of lifelong friends I made has had a huge impact on my life. And reading and then meeting Kurt Vonnegut ’44 on a few occasions certainly shifted my perspective on life.” Julianne Mangino Arts lives in Chatham, NJ, and is VP at Montclair Operetta Club. She writes, “After a career as a reinsurance contract writer, and then many years as a stay-at-home mom, I’m currently focusing on my love of theater and singing. I’m a member of Masterwork Chorus, a group that regularly performs at Carnegie Hall.” Julie also added her advice for her younger self or for future Cornellians: “I wish I had partied more and worked less!”

James Loprest Jr., his wife, Theresa Moser (Stanford 1987), and “our beautiful and talented children, Eleanor and Zoe,” live in Brooklyn, NY. In 2010, Attorney General Eric Holder appointed James to be a U.S. immigration judge in New York, “a job of which I am immensely fond,” says James. He shared this New York Times article in which he appears.

Craig Stewart and his spouse of 30-plus years, Carolyn, live in Orinda, CA. He writes that they have “two wonderful sons in their 20s starting their own careers.” Craig is semi-retired as a high school math teacher after a career of launching mobile networks around the world, and he’s “enjoying the great outdoors of the Bay Area and Northern California.” Also in Northern California is Karen Lawrence Lawler and partner Kathy, who are living in Sacramento, CA, where Karen is associate priest at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. She recently retired from a 25-year career in healthcare to focus on ministry in the Episcopal Church and adds, “I’ve worked as a chaplain in an oncology center and am available to do presentations to support groups for cancer survivors.” David Efken is hospice chaplain at JourneyCare, living in Algonquin, IL. After receiving a master’s in counseling psychology/theology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL, he has been serving as a hospice grief counselor, cancer counselor, and hospital and hospice chaplain the past 14 years. He writes, “It is the most profoundly satisfying ‘work’ I’ve ever done.”

Please remember to send us your news! ❖ Nina Kondo (email Nina) | Doug Skalka (email Doug) | Mark Fernau (email Mark) | Alumni Directory.

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1983

Hello, everyone! I’m writing this in March after spending my ninth day in a row snowboarding with my family in Snowbird, UT. Somehow it has snowed six feet since we arrived last week, and it couldn’t be fluffier or more beautiful.

As usual, wearing a Cornell hat around nearly anywhere we travel attracts lots of random “Go Red” shout-outs, and Snowbird didn’t fail. We met recent ILR grads from New York, a bunch of Class of ’86 guys from opposite coasts meeting in the middle for some fun, and one accepted early-decision applicant for the Class of 2027! We even met a guy whose family name was that of our West Campus freshman dining hall … that very same family.

Anyway, as good as the snow has been, I am assuming that by the time this piece is printed, we will have had a fantastic and snow-free 40th Reunion. I hope I got to see you in Ithaca!

Some updates from our class: Debra Wilson Strauss wrote in to announce that she recently published a new book, Behind the Bench: The Guide to Judicial Clerkships, Third Edition (West Academic Publishing 2023). Debra is a professor of business law at the Charles F. Dolan School of Business, University of Fairfield.

According to the book’s description, “This comprehensive guide for law students, lawyers, faculty, and career services professionals takes the reader on an incredible journey through the maze of courts and explains all aspects of the judicial clerkship application process. From her substantial experiences as a professor, former federal law clerk, founder of the clerkship program at Yale Law School, and director of the National Judicial Clerkship Study, Debra presents useful data for the legal profession as well as valuable insights and advice for potential judicial clerks.” For more on the book, judicial clerkships, and the courts, see her website.

Wearing a Cornell hat around nearly anywhere we travel attracts lots of random ‘Go Red’ shout-outs.

Nancy Korn Freeman ’83

Classmate and dear friend Amy Tayer Goldman and her husband, Howard ’79, celebrated son Nate ’14’s marriage to Jackie Benayoun in Woodbury, Long Island, on March 26. Nate is graduating from New York Medical College in May and Jackie is a pediatric resident at Westchester Hospital. The photos captured what was a truly joyous day!

Chris Cimitile writes from France, “In January 2023, I began a three-year expat assignment with my company, the Arkema Group, as the global head of talent processes and engagement at our headquarters just outside of Paris. The family, wife Barbara and son Alex, is quite excited to start this great adventure as well!” Bonne chance to you all!

Chuck Ruebling and Carolyn Topp both sent photos from a recent Springsteen concert, and I have heard through the grapevine that some lucky classmate friends scored tickets via the alumni lottery to the Dead & Co. show on campus. My guess is some ’83ers figured out a way to see the epic performance and a great celebration of our Barton Hall years.

Lastly, chef Franco Raicovich and John St. Pierre announced the opening of their new restaurant in Fresh Meadows, Queens: Fuzi Pasta Company. It will feature handmade veggie-forward pasta and locally brewed craft beers, and it promises to be a delicious and creative new venture.

Happy summer! ❖ Nancy Korn Freeman (email Nancy) | Tom Helf (email Tom) | Jon Felice (email Jon) | Stewart Glickman (email Stewart) | Alumni Directory.

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1984

We have some very exciting news! So let’s get to it. In case you haven’t heard, our class president, John Toohey-Morales, is a 2023 alumni-elected trustee! This is a huge accomplishment, both for him and our class! Our own Nancy Law shares that she is “so thrilled that our class leader, now that he has retired from on-air weather reporting, will be kept busy as a new trustee! We know him best and know he will be a fabulous representative for all Cornellians.”

We also heard from Kathleen Dodd O’Brien. “I didn’t know John in college. I met him when I became a Cornell Council member—one of the many benefits of being on class council. His energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and he brings this positivity to all that we do. John has been volunteering for years at Cornell and is now retired from his meteorologist job but still consults on hurricanes. As our class president and an alumni trustee, along with other Cornell commitments, John will be able to give so much to the class and school with his new time available. This is a gift to all of us.”

And we heard from Amy Fraser, who shares that “John is a loyal, visionary leader, not only for the Class of ’84 but also as a member of the CALS Dean’s Advisory Council. He asks insightful questions, provides creative ideas/solutions, and is ready to pitch in when needed. John is an engaging speaker and a good listener.” Carol Leister remembers that “he rowed crew and was in the group who liked to go dancing! He and his wife, Carmen, were married at a class Reunion—under the clocktower!” Well, that shows true Cornell colors! He’s the only classmate we know of who got married on campus during Reunion weekend.

John Toohey-Morales ’84 is the only classmate we know of who got married on campus during Reunion weekend.

“John has been very active with Cornell, especially in the area of sustainability,” writes Lindsay Liotta Forness. “John is an avid cyclist—he has logged way, way more miles than anyone on our class leadership team, except maybe for Terri Port, who is riding for charity again this year.” I can add that John flew his own airplane for a long time. Not bad for a weather professional! Finally, John himself shares that he intends to complete his term as president ending at our 40th Reunion in about a year. We are all very proud of John and grateful for his service, leadership, and enthusiasm as our class president for the last four years.

In other news, Keith Harband wrote, “I am the founder/CEO of the premier tele-dentistry site by the name of NewEnamel.com. Our BIG news is that our online service is now available to consumers in all 50 states. We provide prescription-strength dental care at home after consumers take a free, simple, highly determinant online tooth decay risk assessment. Millions of people suffer from painful, sensitive teeth for a variety of reasons and default to using an over-the-counter (OTC) toothpaste option when they should be using Rx toothpaste because they don’t know any better. Pain and sensitivity are typically caused by demineralized enamel, and OTC toothpaste usually doesn’t have enough fluoride to re-mineralize. Learn more at NewEnamel.com—because your teeth should last a lifetime!”

And that wraps it up for now! Remember to start making your early travel plans and reservations for our 40th Reunion soon! You know how it is … everything in Ithaca fills up fast. So don’t delay (watch for when they begin taking reservations, including air)!

And please don’t forget to send your news to me, José Nieves, or visit the online news form, where you can easily submit your news. Until next time, cheerio! ❖ José Nieves (email José). Alumni Directory.

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1985

Greetings, Class of ’85! What have you been up to this summer? Please take a moment to drop us a line. ❖ Joyce Zelkowitz Cornett (email Joyce) | Alumni Directory.

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1986

Hello, classmates! Just a reminder that we would love to hear from you and to share your news with the Class of ’86. You can submit your updates via the online news form or by emailing any of your correspondents at the links below.

Joanna Morris Brinker writes from Yarmouth, ME. “Since leaving my full-time office job during the pandemic, my pottery hobby has become a tiny business that keeps me very busy most of the year. JoMo Pottery is now in retail locations in Maine as well as online. During the long Maine winters, I do tax work with a CPA firm in Portland.

“My younger daughter, Nina ’23, a global and public health major in CALS, is graduating from Cornell this spring and just performed at Bailey Hall with her dance group, Rise. We attended a Cornell hockey game this winter at BU with my sister Karen Morris McQuiston ’90 and her daughter, Skye ’24, which was a blast; we made an appearance on the ‘Dance Cam,’ which would be a great addition to Lynah someday. My mom, Nancy Savage Petrie ’55, recently gave up her 30-plus-year tenure writing her Class Notes column and is living in Mystic, CT, near my other sister, Sue Morris Wilkey ’84.”

Also, a big thank you to the 138 classmates who participated in Cornell Giving Day. The Class of ’86 placed second among all classes! Great job! ❖ Lori Spydell Wagner (email Lori) | Michael Wagner (email Michael) | Ellen Nordberg (email Ellen) | Toby Goldsmith (email Toby) | Alumni Directory.

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1987

I hope you all are enjoying the summer of 2023. Here is what a number of fellow members of the Class of 1987 have been up to this year.

A group of Kappa Alpha Theta sisters had a mini-reunion in Nashville in February, Cheryl Berger Israeloff wrote. It was a “wonderful weekend of great music, food, and friendship” that, in addition to Cheryl, included Kathy Taylor, Mary Ann Morse, Victoria Prehn, Janis Cohen Schlerf ’86, and Laurie Mallano Lynch ’86.

In addition to his career in tech, Phil Lam works in independent film as a producer/executive producer. He said that his most recent film, Silent River, was shot just before the start of the pandemic and finished post-production in pre-vaccine times—and then he spent the last year on the film festival circuit. After four-plus years of effort, the film is finally in distribution, Phil said. It is available on demand on most major streaming platforms, as well as most major cable platforms in North America.

Phil said about the film: “No doubt, this is an arthouse film—a blend of genres including mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, psychological drama, etc.” Others have described the film as “very David Lynch-ish,” but Phil said that “it would be too presumptuous of us to say we are in the same stratosphere as such a great director.” The film, its director (Chris Chan Lee), and its lead actor (West Liang) have won various awards along the festival circuit, most notably Best Horror/Sci-fi/Thriller at Cinequest, Outstanding Courage in Filmmaking at Tallgrass Film Festival, Best Director at the Buenos Aires International Film Festival, and Outstanding Performance in a Feature at the Art of Brooklyn Film Festival.

On January 1, Susan Dinan ’87 began her term of service as president of the National Collegiate Honors Council.

On the home front, Phil said that both of his daughters are in college—Tufts and Northeastern—so he and his wife have been taking advantage of being empty-nesters by going on lots of hikes and playing pickleball.

In early February, DKB—a leading business advisory and CPA firm in the Rochester area—promoted Christian Modesti to the position of president. Chris is responsible for managing the firm’s operations and strategy. He joined DKB as executive vice president in 2021. A press release announcing the promotion touted Chris’s “wealth of expertise in corporate finance, operations, accounting, strategic planning, risk management, distribution, logistics, acquisitions, auditing, human relations, and customer service.”

In addition to his BS from Cornell, Chris holds an MBA from the University of Rochester’s Simon Business School. He is a member of Financial Executives International and serves as board chairman of the Summit Federal Credit Union and trustee of the University of Rochester Newman Interfaith Chapel. He also works as a high school lacrosse official.

Annie Seyler’s debut novel, The Wisdom of Winter, was published by Atmosphere Press on December 13, 2022. According to Annie, it’s “a meditation on womanhood and identity—an adult coming-of-age story written in the vein of Erica Bauermeister’s The Scent Keeper. The novel has received positive reviews from BookLife, Feathered Quill, and BookView.” BookView describes it as: “An often-beautiful novel of growing up in nature and finding a way back to what matters.” Annie has lots of Cornellians in her family, including her mother, father, oldest sister, uncle, two aunts, and maternal grandfather.

On January 1, Susan Dinan began her term of service as president of the National Collegiate Honors Council. The organization serves the administrators, faculty, and students in 800+ honors colleges and programs.

Please do not hesitate to send your news via the online news form or to your class correspondents. While we happily share news of new jobs, promotions, and books being published, your news does not have to be of that nature in order for it to appear in the class column. ❖ Liz Brown, JD ’90 (email Liz) | Whitney Weinstein Goodman (email Whitney) | Alumni Directory.

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1988

Greetings with a short but sweet update. Jimin Han’s novel, The Apology, will be published in August 2023. She also has a daughter who is a junior in Cornell CALS and will be graduating in 2024. Congratulations, Jimin!

Classmates Amanda Smith, MPS ’92, and Laura Bloch co-chaired our 35th Reunion! Their awesome team included Jacques Boubli for events, Pam Darer Anderson for registration, Jill Fields for housing, Lisa Pasquale Semmes for souvenirs, and Howard Greenstein for entertainment. On Saturday of Reunion weekend, classmate Nick Daniels was scheduled to be joined by Cornell historian Corey Earle ’07 to discuss “Outbreaks and Pandemics: Cornell & Beyond.” Note: this column was written before Reunion weekend, so hopefully you were able to attend this event!

On a separate but related note, if you would like to lend your talents to the Class of ’88 by serving on our class board for the next term, we need you! Contact Howard Greenstein (email Howard here).

Please send us your news using the online news form. We look forward to hearing from you! Your class correspondents: ❖ Aliza Stein Angelchik (email Aliza) | Debbie Kaplan Gershenson (email Debbie) | Lynn Berni (email Lynn) | Alumni Directory.

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1989

I hope you’re having a wonderful summer, taking some time to relax, spending time with family and friends, traveling, tanning at the beach, playing pickleball … whatever makes you happy! Thank you to those who sent in updates via email or online. Let’s get right to the interesting stuff our classmates are doing.

Phillip Straughan, BArch ’91, known as performer FiL Straughan, sent an email with a very exciting update on what his life has been like recently. He was a finalist on British ITV’s “Starstruck,” where he appeared in the first series of the show last year. Singers are transformed into their idols, and FiL’s idol is Lionel Richie. After FiL performed “All Night Long (All Night),” Lionel Richie sent a video to FiL inviting him to his Beverly Hills mansion. FiL has performed at a number of celebrity events, including the weddings of singer Samantha Fox and footballer Gavin Massey. He sang the national anthem at the Houses of Parliament with Patti Boulaye. His new song, “Dance Dance Dance,” will be released soon. You can read more about FiL here, and you can watch this video for a peek at how the meeting with Lionel Richie went!

Stacey Chervin Sigda sent an email to let us know she is the general counsel of the largest wine auction house and retail establishment, called Acker Merrall & Condit. Her daughter is in the Class of 2026 in the College of Engineering and Stacey says “it is great fun to visit her.”

We have a couple of classmates who recently published books. Susan Bloom’s new book, They Call Me Produce Pete, is a memoir of “Produce Pete” Napolitano, the fruit and vegetable expert who’s had a highly popular segment on the New York metro edition of NBC’s “Today” show every Saturday morning for the past 30 years and has amassed millions of fans. The book recently won a Literary Titan Book Award and is available everywhere books are sold. Susan is an award-winning writer whose work has appeared in such publications as The Star-Ledger, The Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Monthly Magazine, USA Today, the New York Daily News, and Natural Awakenings. She collaborated with Produce Pete on a broad range of articles and monthly columns for more than a decade.

Kenneth Yin recently published Mystical Forest: Collected Poems and Short Stories of Dungan Ethnographer Ali Dzhon. This book was published by Peter Lang Inc. and is of interest to a general audience. Kenneth also wrote Dungan Folktales and Legends (2021).

Marianne Schnall is also a widely published journalist and interviewer whose work has appeared in a variety of media outlets including Forbes, CNN, O: The Oprah Magazine, Time, the Women’s Media Center, Huffington Post, and many others. Marianne is the founder of What Will It Take movements and Feminist.com. She is also a senior media and communications consultant for the Global Center for Gender Equality, as well as the host of the podcast ShiftMakers, which highlights exclusive insights into luminaries and movement makers as they share wisdom on how to be an authentic changemaker today. In addition, she is a speaker and the author of four books. Marianne lives in the Hudson Valley (NY) with her husband and her two daughters who are also doing “wonderful work in the world!”

We seriously need to talk about Cinnamon Sprinkle, Cornell’s mini horse, who I saw when we were up for Homecoming last fall.

Deborah Skolnik ’89

Albert “Terry” Finch has joined Foran Glennon as partner in their San Jose and Sacramento offices. Terry concentrates his practice in casualty defense and has extensive experience in litigation, trial, and appellate cases. He also handles commercial matters like construction defects, real estate-related litigations, and personal injury. Prior to that, he was a partner at a boutique San Francisco-based law firm, where he was co-chair of the employment and toxic tort practice groups. After graduating Cornell, he received his JD from the University of Illinois Chicago John Marshall Law School.

Deborah Skolnik wrote, “In December, I beamed with pride as my daughter Clara Enders ’22 graduated from the ILR School! She’ll soon be starting a job at Morgan Stanley. Between Clara and her younger sister, Genie ’25, who’s a sophomore in Arts & Sciences, my husband, T.P. Enders ’90, ME ’96, and I have made many trips to Ithaca these past few years. Which reminds me: We seriously need to talk about Cinnamon Sprinkle, Cornell’s mini horse, who I saw when we were up for Homecoming last fall. I caught a mere glimpse of her—a moment as serendipitous as catching sight of Beyoncé alighting from a stretch limo into the St. Regis. Cinnamon Sprinkle was trotting in a sprightly fashion, the Big Red bow affixed to her décolletage swaying to and fro. One had the feeling her handler was not so much leading her along as accessorizing her. And then, with a toss of her blonde mane—strikingly reminiscent of a young Alicia Silverstone in Clueless—Cinnamon Sprinkle the mini horse turned the corner and disappeared. I shall treasure that encounter forever.” Debbie enjoys humorous writing and is also busy editing, tutoring, college essay advising, knitting, and playing pickleball and handbells.

We will end the column with news from Laurie Teller Markin, who wrote to say, “I am super happy to announce the birth of my first grandchild! Adira Deena was born to my daughter, Jennifer Markin Lowenberg ’15, and Capt. Zevi Lowenberg on March 8, 2023, in Okinowa, Japan, where Zevi is a rabbi (chaplain) with the USAF. Proud grandfather is Gary Markin ’87 and happy uncle is Jacob Markin ’19. We can’t wait to watch her grow up and hopefully join the Cornell alumni family as a member of the Class of 2045!”

That’s all for this column. Please send us your news! You can submit it online here or email any of us. ❖ Stephanie Bloom Avidon (email Stephanie) | Kris Borovicka Gerig (email Kris) | Anne Czaplinski Treadwell (email Anne) |Lauren Kidder McGarry (email Lauren) | Alumni Directory.

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1990s

1990

Big congratulations to Christy Clark Pambianchi, this year’s recipient of the ILR School’s Judge William B. Groat Alumni Award. At a ceremony in NYC attended by hundreds of ILR alumni and friends, she said, “It is truly an honor to receive such an incredible award and to join the cohort of prior Groat Award recipients. I fell in love with the human resources profession because it creates an opportunity to make a difference in the quality of people’s lives.”

Named for Judge Groat—who served as counsel to the New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Industrial and Labor Relations from 1938–46 and played a key role in founding the ILR School and drafting its original charter—the Groat Award was established in 1971. It’s given annually to a graduate who has demonstrated exceptional professional accomplishment in the field of industrial and labor relations. Christy, who has had a long and successful career in corporate human resources, is the first member of the Class of 1990 to receive this honor. She is executive vice president and chief people officer at Intel Corporation.

Christy has spent her career as an HR leader at a number of Fortune 500 companies, previously at Verizon, Corning, and PepsiCo, where she started out post-graduation. In all of her roles, she has enjoyed focusing on developing talent, not only to help drive the businesses forward, but also to help employees find satisfaction and fulfillment in their jobs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Christy joined forces with HR leaders at other companies to create People + Work Connect, a platform that connects companies who were letting employees go with companies seeking to hire, to reduce the negative impacts of mass unemployment due to the pandemic.

As an alumna, Christy has given back to Cornell and the ILR School. She is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, the ILR campaign committee, and ILR’s Center for Advanced Human Resource Studies Advisory Board. She is also a sustaining member of the President’s Council of Cornell Women. Christy and husband Mike ’89 have four children, Phineas ’21, Sarah ’24, Avery (who attends the Eastman School of Music), and Harry (who is in high school). Congratulations, Christy, on all your hard work and successes that culminated in your well-deserved honor!

Big congratulations to Christy Clark Pambianchi ’90, this year’s recipient of the ILR School’s Judge William B. Groat Alumni Award.

A number of other classmates have shared recent professional accomplishments that are cause for celebration. Lauren Berkow, who lives in Alachua, FL, is professor and chief of the division of neuroanesthesia at University of Florida College of Medicine, having left Johns Hopkins in 2016 to become a Florida Gator. Lauren recently finished her term as president of the Society for Airway Management and was recognized for her leadership with their Distinguished Service Award. Congratulations! Lauren also wrote, “I’m about to be an empty nester when my youngest daughter graduates from high school this year and joins her older sister at Florida State University.”

Congratulations also to Melissa Ditmore, BA ’92, on the recent publication of her book Unbroken Chains: The Hidden Role of Human Trafficking in the American Economy (Beacon, 2023). Melissa shared the book description with us: “Drawing from nearly two decades of research on U.S. and international human trafficking, Ditmore sets forth the harrowing stories of human trafficking survivors and grounds their accounts in the long history of U.S. indentured servitude, looking to its iterations in chattel slavery, Chinese contract labor, and prison labor.” You can learn more about Melissa’s book here.

Just as our classmates have many professional successes to celebrate, the children of our classmates have been busy achieving academic successes as well. Some have attended Cornell’s Precollege Studies summer program: Roberto Prats’s child Diego and Donn Vanderploeg, ME ’92’s child Connor were among the many talented high school students to participate in the program in 2022. One of the longest running and most prestigious programs of its kind, it offers high school students the opportunity to earn college credits and a Cornell transcript, study with Ivy League faculty, and experience college academics firsthand. If you have a high-school-aged child who may be interested in applying for the Precollege Studies program, you can learn more here.

Scott St. John of Boston, MA, is a portfolio manager for Wellington Management. His daughter Emily ’23 graduated from Cornell in May and was a Big Red soccer player. Nancy Neuman also has a recent Cornell graduate: son Colton Kotecki ’22, BS ’23, earned a degree in chemical engineering and was a varsity and sprint football player. Nancy’s son Carson Kotecki ’25 is in the Dyson Business School pursuing marketing and consulting. Nancy has relocated to the Denver, CO, area, where she is doing strategy consulting work for a Colorado consortium combatting the opioid crisis, while also looking for her “next big thing”—a senior management role in marketing and strategy. Congrats to Scott, Nancy, and all our classmates who celebrated the college graduations of their children at Cornell and elsewhere this past spring!

Please drop us a line to share your own recent success, or those of a family member or classmate! ❖ Nancy Solomon Weiss (email Nancy) | Rose Tanasugarn, BA ’95 (email Rose) | Allan Rousselle (email Allan) | Alumni Directory.

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1991

Spring weather has finally arrived in Northern California as I write this. We received so much news from our classmates! Let’s get started on the West Coast.

First, we heard from the wife of our late classmate Patrick Duffy. Charisse Lee ’93, living in Belmont, CA, writes, “Patrick and I met at a fraternity mixer. Our three boys are 19, 17, and 15. Thaddeus is a sophomore at University of Richmond in Virginia. Timothy is a senior at Carlmont High School and will be Cornell Class of ’27 in the College of Engineering. Gregory is a freshman at Carlmont. I’ve had a non-linear career—I worked in medical products consulting and operations consulting at Kaiser, went to law school, practiced corporate law, was mostly home raising the kids, and now am part time at Stanford Health Care. Patrick died five years ago of cancer, so recently I’ve been raising these kids myself. I have a lot of support with family nearby and many friends.”

Sarah Abbe Taylor, residing in Mill Valley, CA, writes, “I will celebrate my 10th anniversary with the San Francisco Foundation in March, managing our local impact investing fund that invests capital in disinvested Bay Area communities, projects, and organizations. My daughters are 15 and 17, and I plan to bring them to Cornell to attend my niece’s junior-year dinner project at the Statler. I recently divorced, so life continues to evolve, but I feel optimistic and grateful for my many blessings—including my Cornell friends!”

Over on the East Coast, David Rickerby (Tiverton, RI) is managing partner of his own law firm: Boston Tech Law. He recently relocated from Providence to Tiverton in the summer. In his spare time, he is reading deeply on comparative mythology and neoplatonic philosophy.

Peter Sloane (White Plains, NY) reports that he is still working from home, three years into the global pandemic. “I’m a partner at Leason Ellis LLP, a thriving intellectual property law firm in White Plains with about 35 attorneys. I co-chair the trademark and copyright practice group.” Peter and his wife, Michele, have two daughters, Hannah, at the New School in Manhattan, and their older daughter, Molly, attends Smith College.

My daughters are 15 and 17, and I plan to bring them to Cornell to attend my niece’s junior-year dinner project at the Statler.

Sarah Abbe Taylor ’91

Cheryl Strauss Einhorn writes, “On March 15, my new book (my third!), called Problem Solver, will be published by Cornell University Press! I also wrote an article on the same topic for Harvard Business Review.” In her book, Cheryl describes five types of decision-makers by assigning them one of five “Problem Solver Profiles”—Adventurer, Detective, Listener, Thinker, and Visionary. She explores their biases, pitfalls, and strengths so readers can recognize how they can better their own choices. With real-life examples, usable worksheets, and replicable strategies to apply new decision-making skills for your immediate benefit, Problem Solver equips readers to “move forward, with confidence, into their future.”

We asked the following question on our news form: “What’s something you’re doing now that you never imagined?” Hans Aramburo responded, “I never thought I would be raising a 2-year-old after a 17-year gap between him and his sister. It’s a totally different experience at this age vs. in my 30s.” Monica Anschel says, “Leading a cryptocurrency investment club for women over 50.”

Cornell’s Precollege Studies summer program let us know recently that the children of some of our classmates attended last summer: George Akel’s child Calista, Mark Cisz’s child Stephen, Ralph Ho’s child Ralph, Cyndilee Freeman Kosloff’s child Jonah, Susanna Suh’s child Colin, Matthew McGrath’s child Mac, and Joseph Quinn’s child Tanner were among the many talented high school students to participate in 2022. One of the longest running and most prestigious programs of its kind, it offers students the chance to earn credits and a Cornell transcript, study with top Ivy League faculty, and experience college academics firsthand. If you have a high-school-aged child who is interested in applying for the 2023 online Precollege Studies program, you can learn more here.

Thanks to everyone who sent in updates for this Class Notes column! Have news to share? Use the online news form, or contact one of us directly: ❖ Evelyn Achuck Yue (email Evelyn) | Susie Curtis Schneider (email Susie) | Ruby Wang Pizzini (email Ruby) | Wendy Milks Coburn (email Wendy) | Joe Marraccino (email Joe) | Alumni Directory.

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1992

There’s a lot of warm, positive energy emanating from the Class of 1992 news! Could it be the turn of the season? Well, I (Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson) experienced a turn of season, professionally. I was featured as the opening act of the 42nd Annual Jazz Festival of Terrassa in Barcelona, Spain—my first international music festival, and aptly scheduled on International Women’s Day. It was an honor to be featured on TV3 in Catalonia, Spain, and on the front page of the local paper. It’s been fulfilling beyond words to sing for audiences in Spain, Germany, Italy, and the U.S. Keep up with me here.

Congratulations to Rey Hollingsworth Falu for being named one of Westchester’s Top Real Estate Agents in the April 2023 issue of Westchester Magazine! He shares a wealth of information on his website. In other family news, Rey and Nicole Harris-Hollingsworth are still glowing with pride that their son, Hunter, sang his way into the Grand Finale of Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater singing competition. Friends, family, and Cornellians were there to cheer him on!

We are so proud of our classmates—and also of the children of our classmates who sometimes become Cornellians as well! Penni Wint Urquhart is one such classmate. Her son, Ian, will be attending Cornell in the fall as a physics major in the Class of ’27. Penni also shares that in January, she joined Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City as part of the communications team in the anesthesiology department. How’s that for keeping the connection strong? Let’s go, legacy!

Speaking of legacy, Dylan Willoughby, MFA ’95, reports that his son Julian ’25 attends Cornell and is studying economics; his son Jamie will be starting at Wesleyan next fall. Dylan has new poetry forthcoming in the Notre Dame Review. He reflects, “I remember doing an independent study with Professor Stephen Parrish (at the end of his distinguished teaching career) in which we read a book of Wordsworth’s Prelude each week, sort of Oxford-style. I have fond memories of after-class discussions with Professor Calum Carmichael, from Goldwin Smith all the way to his house. In the MFA program, I loved popping into Professor Archie Ammons’s office each day, studying Chekhov and short stories in independent study with Professor Bob Morgan, and taking a Milton class with Professor Gordon Teskey (a revelation).”

Olga Lucia Torres is a “lupus warrior and proud mama.” With May being Lupus Awareness Month, Olga was very busy with fundraising (see her website for more info)! She also picked up a Lupus Awareness Month Proclamation from Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City. Olga aired the 22nd episode of her Your Story Our Fight podcast, which gives a voice to lupus patients while continuing Lupus LA’s mission to raise awareness worldwide.

I was featured as the opening act of the 42nd Annual Jazz Festival of Terrassa in Barcelona, Spain.

Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson ’92

In April, Olga and her daughter Isabella “turned the Capitol purple” during the Lupus Foundation of America Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC, with their efforts toward the passage of the Safe Step Act. Olga published “Often Our Relationship with Our Doctors is Fraught,” the second piece in her series for Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies’ Blog. She also attended the Cornell Law School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Summit, where, she said, “honest, important conversations were had, both by attorneys and law students.” In March, she gave a four-hour workshop on narrative medicine at the XXXII Congreso de Comunicación y Salud in Zaragoza, Spain. Phew! Keep on keepin’ on, Olga!

Cozzette Lyons-Jones is the 2023 NAACP Image Award Community Hero–Healthcare Award winner! The NAACP recognized her outstanding service to the community during a highlight reel shown at the 2023 NAACP Image Awards television broadcast. Cozzette is chief of adult medicine at Watts Healthcare Corporation (WHCC), a historic Federally Qualified Health Center birthed out of the Watts Uprisings of 1965. Of her life’s work, she says, “I seek to empower people to be healthy, healed, and well in three dimensions—body, soul, and spirit.”

In April, she and spouse Noel Jones II celebrated the three-year anniversary of their podcast, UnControlled Substance. Cozzette is proud of son Samani for earning student of the month! She’s also ecstatic that daughter Lena had the awesome experience to sing in the tenor section of the gospel community choir that backed up the legendary gospel music group the Clark Sisters as part of a special evening of music at Yale University. Lena followed in her mom’s footsteps and is now singing in an a cappella group at Yale; Cozzette sang in Cornell’s Baraka Kwa Wimbo all-female gospel ensemble as a founding member.

I attended Baraka Kwa Wimbo’s annual concert in April and felt … well, blessed. The name means “Blessings Through Song.” As its founder, the group was my first “baby,” born in 1991, and I am a proud mama—proud like the parents of all the babies mentioned in this column! Babies who are all grown up and doing great things. Let’s keep the legacy of excellence, creativity, innovation, and service strong! CU back on campus at Homecoming, I hope.

You can send in news via the online news form or directly to any of us. Wishing you joy and wellness. ❖ Wilma Ann Thomas Anderson (email Wilma Ann) | Jean Kintisch (email Jean) | Sarah Ballow Clauss (email Sarah) | Alumni Directory.

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1993

Congratulations to Joel Silverman, who is celebrating the publication of his book, The Legal Exhibitionist: Morris Ernst, Jewish Identity, and the Modern Celebrity Lawyer (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). He has always wanted to write a book, and this one only took about 20 years! Joel is happily living in New Haven, CT, with his wife, Alba (they were married at Stella’s Cafe on College Ave. back in 1994), and working at Yale. He would love to hear from classmates!

Walter Davis joined Blank Rome LLP’s intellectual property litigation practice group as a partner in the Washington, DC, office. Congratulations, Walter. He will focus his practice on patents, trade secrets, and other intellectual property litigation. A first-chair litigator, he has extensive experience managing the day-to-day operation of litigation.

And lastly, yours truly, Theresa Flores, has news to share. I left corporate lobbying and, in the future, will focus on addressing, advancing, and advocating for impactful solutions for a more equitable community and society. I created a consultancy, Flores Advocacy Change & Transformation. I plan to raise my voice to promote social and economic change at the local, state, and national levels. ❖ Theresa Flores (email Theresa) | Mia Blackler (email Mia) |Melissa Hart Moss, JD ’97 (email Melissa) | Alumni Directory.

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1994

Break out the Big Red onesies! Congratulations to Jeffrey Anbinder and Daina Schatz ’03, who welcomed their first child, son Isaac Arthur, into the world on March 26. Wrote Jeffrey from NYC, “He even had the courtesy to wait to be born until after the Cornell men’s hockey team had been eliminated from the NCAA tournament on March 25!”

Also in NYC, writer Victor LaValle has a story in the spring 2023 edition of the literary magazine Ploughshares. An acclaimed writer of literary horror and author of a Marvel Comics series, Sabretooth: The Adversary, Victor is on the faculty of Columbia University, where he earned his MFA in writing. His horror-fantasy novel, The Changeling, has been adapted for an Apple TV+ series.

More publishing news, this time from Kimberly Greene-Liebowitz: “I’ve released a book, What We Bring to the Practice of Medicine: Perspectives from Women Physicians. It’s a collection of essays by women physicians, with contributors hailing from multiple states and countries. I’m pretty excited about it and looking to connect with leaders in narrative medicine, medical ethics, or women in medicine. Otherwise, still living in Westchester County, NY, with my two kids and my husband. This fall, I traveled to Houston to get together with Molly Daniels, Meredith Slone, and Allegra Rich. We try to get together every year, although our pandemic gathering was a Zoom get-together.”

Cheers to Seth Stuhl, one of the inaugural recipients of the Broadway League’s Leadership Awards. He won for his work as vice chair of the government affairs committee during the pandemic, lobbying on behalf of the industry for the federal Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program and New York State’s musical and theatrical production tax credit program, the first in Broadway’s history. “I am deeply humbled to receive this award, but am even prouder of having had the opportunity to contribute in some way to my industry’s survival and recovery from our 18-month shutdown. The friends in the industry I made along the way, though, have been the best reward. And now Broadway is fortunately back, so my evenings are chock-full of seeing shows as a Tony Award voter—to quote Hamilton, it’s non-stop.”

My son had the courtesy to wait to be born until after the Cornell men’s hockey team had been eliminated from the NCAA tournament!

Jeffrey Anbinder ’94

Congratulations are also in order to former president of the student assembly Bryan Schwartz, whose California-based firm, Bryan Schwartz Law, negotiated a $37.5 million settlement with the Department of State on behalf of qualified Foreign Service applicants denied employment because of disabilities. Wrote Bryan, “The effect is no less than opening the career of Foreign Service—the face of America abroad—to people with disabilities. We are immensely proud to have reached this day.”

More West Coast news: Based out of Culver City, CA, at the Sony Pictures lot, Kaliel Roberts is chief product officer for streaming service Crunchyroll, which brings anime to more than 200 countries and is the top distributor of anime movies in North America. Previously, she worked at Discovery Communications, Virgin Investments, and Yahoo! Video.

Lastly, on a very sad note, our deepest condolences to Christopher Taggi and family. He shared, “I’m writing with the terrible news that Alessandra Sagasti died in January 2023 after a heroic battle with pancreatic cancer. We met during freshman year orientation and—skipping over a lot of good times and silly hijinks here—got married in Sage Chapel in 1998. We named our daughter Cecilia after the Simon & Garfunkel song, which we used to sing and dance to all those years ago as freshmen in Low Rise 6. Alessandra spent the last 20 years teaching biology and ecology as a professor at Montgomery College in Maryland. She could light up a room with one of her big and bright smiles. Cecilia and I are heartbroken; friends, family, and colleagues miss her terribly.”

Please send us your news. ❖ Dika Lam (email Dika) | Dineen Pashoukos Wasylik (email Dineen) | Jennifer Rabin Marchant (email Jennifer) | Alumni Directory.

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1995

Just a few updates for you this time, primarily from the entertainment world. Brenda Janowitz wrote in with excitement, “I am so impossibly thrilled to announce that we’ve sold film rights to my sixth novel, The Grace Kelly Dress, to Hallmark/Crown Media! Lacey Chabert, call me!”

Jennifer Keene shared the big news that she moved from NYC to Los Angeles in June 2021. She wrote about making the decision on her blog. One big perk is that she gets to see West Coast friends more often, including Ali Conlin ’96, Katherine Vega Stultz, and Andrea Jackson ’96. On the employment front, Jennifer has worked at Octagon, a sports and entertainment agency, for 17 years. She started working in marketing for basketball clients including Chris Paul and Steph Curry before becoming Emmitt Smith’s marketing rep. Additionally, she develops books and has been the agent for books including New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership and all of Emily Calandrelli’s children’s books (if you have little kids, you know her from Netflix’s “Emily’s Wonder Lab”). Says Jennifer: “BTW, now that I live in California, I say ‘rep’ instead of ‘agent.’”

Brett Schwartz wrote in to share that, on March 28, through a partnership with Freestyle Digital Media, his latest feature documentary film, Raised Up West Side, was released. Here’s the film synopsis: “Chicago’s West Side epitomizes the violent, struggling city we see daily in the media. [This documentary] peels back the layers, exposing the deep-seated segregation, food insecurity, and mass incarceration that continue to shape these predominantly Black neighborhoods. Following the harrowing, yet frequently inspiring plight of ex-offenders, social activists, and entrepreneurs working on the West Side, we witness the fierce tenacity required to change the narrative—and change lives.”

Last but not least, we have one more legacy to add to the Cornell Class of 2027: Ava Rosenow, daughter of Amy Kaplan Rosenow and husband Josh. Congratulations, Ava!

Until next time, stay connected and safe, classmates. ❖ Alison Torrillo French (email Alison) | Class website | Class Facebook page | Class Instagram page | Alumni Directory.

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1996

Nora Immordino Feldpausch is the medical director of Mantra Health, which provides digital mental health services to more than 800,000 students across 110 schools nationwide, including Cornell. Mantra Health offers evidence-based and culturally competent mental health services that students can access 24/7, whether on campus or at home, which allows for more and more students to get the help they need. In her role, Nora upholds the organization’s rigorous standard of clinical services, oversees the recruitment of highly trained and diverse providers, and develops holistic and student-centered treatment models.

Wendy Meredith Hunter and her husband, Greg ’98, have an avocado farm in Fallbrook, CA. Wendy shares, “I started a podcast called The Pediatrician Next Door. I answer the questions you forgot or were too embarrassed to ask your pediatrician.” ❖ Marjorie Polycarpe Jean-Paul (email Marjorie) | Catherine Oh Bonita (email Catherine) | Janine Abrams Rethy (email Janine) | Alumni Directory.

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1997

Happy summer, Class of ’97! We would love to hear from you. Do you have a new job, a new family member (human or four-legged), or a new favorite book? Whether your news is large or small, we want to hear it! Please take a moment to write to us. ❖ Sarah Deardorff Carter (email Sarah) | Erica Broennle Nelson (email Erica) | Alumni Directory.

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1998

When was the last time you ascended the 161 steps up McGraw Tower to see our “glorious to view” campus and listen to the chimesmasters in concert? Have you heard about or seen the new e-sports gaming lounge in Robert Purcell Community Center?

If you attended our 25th Reunion in June, we want to hear about your time back at Cornell! Even if you didn’t attend, please share your news with us. ❖ Uthica Jinvit Utano (email Uthica). Alumni Directory.

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1999

“I’m continuing to feed my hunger for knowledge and adventure,” says Gabriela Cadena, who reports that she and her new husband recently moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. “I am a foodie, so looking for best eats in the area!”

Gabriela adds, “My most recent position was as CEO for an economic development nonprofit,” and now she is on the hunt for her next job. “I’m looking forward to showing my hubby the campus someday! I have been buying Cornell gear for us to show our Big Red pride.” ❖ Class of 1999 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2000s

2000

Welcome back to the warm weather! I have many plans for this summer, including a move and a job change, so hopefully I’ll have something new to share with you all soon.

Do you have any news you’d like to tell your fellow alumni? If so, drop me a line through the online news form, or write directly to me at the link below. Wishing you sunshine and blue skies: ❖ Denise Williams (email Denise). Alumni Directory.

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2001

I hope everyone is having a great time with the summer in full swing (or if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s winter, hope you’re enjoying that as well!). I’ll always remember going up to visit Ithaca in the summer. I think hurrying around campus on those cold winter days enhanced my appreciation for the warm weather and beautiful setting when everything was in bloom. The surroundings, when hiking or swimming in the gorges—both on campus and off, like at Robert H. Treman State Park—are incredibly impressive. Hopefully many of you have had the chance to spend some time at Cornell in the summer or will in the future.

Possibly better, in some people’s opinion, is the fall at Cornell. As we’re at the halfway point between Reunions, this September would be a great time to make the trip to Ithaca. This year, Homecoming will be September 29–30. It would be great to see classmates there! If you plan to go, drop a note on our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group. In the meantime, let’s see what our classmates have been up to.

Our Class of 2001 affinity chair, Tara Benedict, remains very involved in a number of Cornell alumni activities. In the Boston area, she serves as director-at-large with the Cornell Club of Boston. She recently moderated a virtual panel discussion on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and the long-lasting effects of concussions and repeated head injuries on athletes. The panel featured our classmate Jesse Mez, who is an associate professor of neurology at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, where he is, among many other things, an investigator in the BU CTE Center. The panel also featured Lisa McHale ’89 and Samantha Bureau ’22, both of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. For more information about some of the amazing work Jesse is doing at the CTE Center, you can check out its website. And to learn more about upcoming events for alumni in the Greater Boston area, please visit the Cornell Club of Boston website.

Jennifer Boyer ’01 is the inaugural vice president of sustainability at Technological University Dublin.

Jeremy Werner, a class officer-at-large, is working at Micron Technology as corporate vice president and general manager of the storage business unit. Micron recently announced their intention to invest up to $100 billion in a new Upstate New York complex that will produce memory chips. Only 2% of the world’s memory chips are made in America, but this complex—only 70 miles north of Cornell—will significantly increase U.S. production by the end of the decade, and it brings high-tech manufacturing jobs to Upstate New York. Micron is investing in K–12 STEM education locally and is planning partnerships with universities in the region, including Cornell, to train students in memory and semiconductor technology. Jeremy keeps in touch with many of his classmates, and helped source the next update …

Is there anything better than mini-golf and ice cream in the summer? Brook Katzen ’02, MPS ’04, has been keeping busy since moving to Martha’s Vineyard in 2020. In July 2020, he purchased the local miniature golf course (the Cove Golf & Grill); in October 2020, he purchased a small restaurant (Little House Cafe); and in March 2021, he purchased an ice cream business (Mad Martha’s) with support from Cornell classmates Jeremy Werner, Giancarlo Turano, and Chris Kercher. Brook is also working on some small-scale affordable and workforce housing developments on the island. If you ever find yourself on Martha’s Vineyard, stop into Mad Martha’s for an ice cream scoop and say hi to Brook!

Jennifer Boyer is across the Atlantic in Dublin, Ireland. As the inaugural vice president of sustainability at Technological University Dublin, Jennifer is in charge of delivering on the university’s strategic plan, which champions the three pillars of “people, planet, and partnership” to meet the challenges presented by the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. Jennifer remembers her days at Cornell fondly, including practicing for up to three hours a day as a member of the women’s varsity tennis team, followed by late evenings at the architecture design studios. Favorite memories include Dragon Days, which “were filled with excitement, exploration, and creative activism with fellow architecture students, and great parties to celebrate the tradition.”

To share news and get back in touch with classmates, please email either of us, visit our website, like the Class of 2001 Facebook page, join our Class of 2001 Classmates Facebook group, and/or follow us on Twitter (@Cornell2001). ❖ James Gutow (email James) | Nicole Neroulias Gupte (email Nicole) | Alumni Directory.

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2002

Happy summer! Have any of you traveled somewhere new, or started a new venture? Please take a moment to drop us a line to stay in touch. ❖ Class of 2002 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2003

Hello, classmates! Though the deadline for this column came before Reunion, we know it was great to catch up with so many of you at our 20th!

Our mini-features have returned! This time, we heard from Jennifer Yeh about the startup company she co-founded. Jen is COO of Shoott, which specializes in 30-minute outdoor photo sessions, which are free to book; customers are only charged for the photos they want. As COO of a startup, Jen has her hands full, doing everything from overseeing service delivery and operational process to acting as product manager and UI/UX designer.

Jen credits her background in economics and Cornell experience for providing her the foundation in business and analytical skills that have proven invaluable in this role. “The rigorous coursework at Cornell helped me develop resilience and persistence, which have been critical in overcoming the challenges of starting and scaling a business.”

When she’s not busy handling Shoott-related tasks, she is “putting energy and creativity into all sorts of projects around my home,” like building a brick bonfire patio! She has three teens with whom she loves to explore new cuisines and savor new flavors at local restaurants. Jen and her kids also enjoy traveling to visit loved ones on the West Coast.

If Jen could visit campus today, she’d stop by all her old haunts, like Collegetown Bagels. “I miss the sense of community and the amazing friendships I made during my time there.” Thanks so much for sharing, Jen!

Do you have news you’d like to share? Be sure to send it our way! Until next time: ❖ Candace Lee Chow, PhD ’14 (email Candace) | Jon Schoenberg, ME ’03, PhD ’11 (email Jon) | Alumni Directory.

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2004

Thea Brown’s latest poetry collection, Loner Forensics, was published in May! As her publisher says, the book “draws on parallel universes, 1980s video games, social media pop-speak, and ghost towns to immerse the reader in grief, utopia, disaster—and, ultimately, love.” A former philosophy major, she previously wrote the chapbook We Are Fantastic and the poetry collections Think of the Danger and Famous Times. ❖ Jessi Petrosino (email Jessi) | Alumni Directory.

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2005

Erica Healey-Kagan and Jamie Newberry Houston recently attended the symposium of the President’s Council of Cornell Women together in Ithaca. Erica reports that it was wonderful to be back on campus and even more special to do so with a classmate (and Kappa Delta sorority sister)!

Erica also reports that the Class of 2005 had a well-attended happy hour in San Diego during the Cornell Alumni Leadership Conference. Classmates in attendance included Erica, Brian Levine, MS ’08, Thomas Balcerski, PhD ’14, Molly McGovern, Sarah Perkins Latimer, and Christine Rhee.

We love sharing with classmates and the Cornell community all the amazing things the Class of 2005 is doing. Please keep your news and notes coming by filling out the form at the “Submit Your News!” button below, or by reaching out directly to Jessica or Hilary. ❖ Jessica Rosenthal Chod (email Jessica) | Hilary Johnson King (email Hilary) | Alumni Directory.

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2006

Hello, Class of 2006! We’re pleased to share the latest class news with you.

Kimberly Dowdell was appointed as director of strategic relationships for HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering, and planning firm. Previously a marketing principal in the firm’s Chicago office, she will lead its efforts to develop strategic relationships across its global offices. Kimberly also helped found HOK’s social responsibility arm and co-chairs its Diversity Advisory Council. “I’m committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in everything we do,” she says. Congratulations, Kimberly!

What’s new in your world? We’d love to hear more about you, your families, and what you’ve been up to lately. Please share your news with us! ❖ Kirk Greenspan, MBA ’22 (email Kirk). Alumni Directory.

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2007

Hello, Class of 2007! Here is a quick update for you this time around. If anyone has anything to share with our class or wants to say hi to some friends from Cornell, this is a great way to connect. My contact information is below, if you’d like to reach out directly. I love hearing from you!

Hello from Marcela Peres! She and her husband, Kevin McGrory, welcomed their second daughter, Zelda Aurelia, in May 2022. Mom, dad, and older sister Beatrix are thrilled to welcome their addition! Congrats on your growing family!

For anyone remembering from last time, I had a chance to read Code Gray by classmate Farzon Nahvi. While this isn’t a topic I’d normally gravitate toward, I love the ability to connect with our class even from afar—plus, recommending books to a local library has certainly leveled up my adulting. Absolutely an enjoyable read, for those looking for summer reading options!

Looking forward to sharing more exciting stories with everyone! Have more updates to share? Please feel free to reach out to me or submit online! ❖ Samantha Feibush Wolf (email Samantha) | Alumni Directory.

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2008

We hope that the summer has been off to a good start for everyone and continues to be a happy and healthy one for all of you, as well as for your family and friends! 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.

Please also continue to send your news to us via the online news form! We want all of your updates—any exciting plans for the rest of the summer or fall? 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! ❖ Libby Boymel (email Libby) | Alumni Directory.

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2009

Allie Kosterich writes, “I am currently a tenure track professor at Fordham University and recently published my first book with Oxford University Press.” News Nerds: Institutional Change in Journalism explores the ways in which the journalism profession has evolved. According to the book’s description, “Today’s journalists are coding, programming, running analytics, and developing apps. These ‘news nerds’ are working in jobs at the intersection of traditional journalism and technologically intensive positions that were once largely separate. Their titles and jobs might differ, but one thing is common: they are using technology differently and the institutionalized view of a professional journalist has changed. Understanding the reasons for that turn, its mechanics, timing, and impact, are the goals of this book.”

A professor of communications and media management in the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham, Allie received her PhD in 2017 from the School of Communication & Information at Rutgers University. Her research focuses on media industry transformation, particularly at the intersection of organizations, institutions, and digital technologies. These interests stem in part from her professional media background, which includes management and production positions in newsrooms and television studios. ❖ Jason Georges (email Jason) | Alumni Directory.

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2010s

2010–2013

We don’t have any news from these classes to report this round—but we hope that will change in the future! Do you have any new family members (human or four-legged)? Have you read any good books lately? What brings you the most satisfaction these days? If you have a moment, please email us. ❖ Classes of 2010–2013 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2014

Hello, Class of 2014! I hope you are having a wonderful summer. Elyse Frank Peterlin and her husband, Jonathan, had a beautiful, healthy baby girl, Charlotte Sophia, on February 16, 2023. The happy family resides in Cleveland, where Elyse works in advertising. Please reach out if you have news to share with classmates. ❖ Samantha Lapehn Young (email Samantha) | Alumni Directory.

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2015–2017

We would love to hear from you! What has been going on in your life lately? Whether you’ve started a new venture or found satisfaction in a routine, please send us an online news form to stay in touch with your fellow Cornellians. ❖ Classes of 2015–2017 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2018

Hey, Class of 2018! It was lovely to see you all at Reunion in June and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the summer! Remember that if you have any news about you (or a 2018 classmate), you can send it to: ❖ Stephanie Yan (email Stephanie) | Alumni Directory.

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2019

Can you believe that our 5th Reunion is less than a year away?! We hope you will mark the dates, June 6­–9, 2024, in your calendar and plan to come back to the Hill with us. In the meantime, please send in an online news form so future columns can be full of news from you! ❖ Class of 2019 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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2020s

2020–2023

Though we don’t have any news to report from these classes this round, we hope that will change in the future! What has your life been like since leaving the Hill? Have you gotten a new job or moved somewhere new? Are you thinking about starting a new grad degree program? Read any good books or watched any good TV shows lately? If you have a moment, please send us your news. ❖ Classes of 2020–2023 (email c/o Alexandra Bond ’12) | Alumni Directory.

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Grad

Agricultural & Life Sciences

Robert Irvine, MS ’75, reports that he and his wife, Karen, enjoyed a cruise on the Seine from Paris to Le Havre in fall 2022. “We then explored the fabled town of Saint-Malo,” Bob writes. The couple haven’t slowed down from there: in January and February 2023, they spent five weeks walking and hiking in and around Victoria, BC—followed by a week in New Orleans in March. When they’re not traversing the globe by land and by sea, Bob writes that he’s also “enjoying our very active 2-year-old granddaughter.”

Mark Wentling, MPS ’83, was recently published in the May 2023 edition of the American Diplomacy online journal. Mark’s article, “Coming to Grips with Poverty in Africa,” offers a stark, data-based review of economic conditions across Africa, a continent that’s home to 37 of the world’s 47 least-developed countries—a list that Mark writes has remained basically unchanged since the UN established it in 1971. “Despite U.S. foreign policy objectives, much work, and hundreds of billions of assistance dollars expended,” Mark wrote, “the poorest of the poor have not advanced. While some low-income countries have made some small progress, after decades of aid most are still in the bottom ranks of absolute poverty.”

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Architecture, Art & Planning

Luis Suarez-Villa, MRP ’76, PhD ’81, who’s now a professor emeritus of social ecology at the University of California, Irvine, recently published the book Technology and Oligopoly Capitalism with Routledge press. According to Routledge, “This book has no peers in the literature—in its scope, the unprecedented amount and diversity of documentation, the breadth of concepts, and the vast number of examples it provides. Its premises deserve to be taken into account by every student, researcher, policymaker, bibliographer, and author interested in the socioeconomic and political dimensions of technology in America.”

Ponni Mukundan Concessao, MS ’90, sent a heartfelt note from Chennai, India—where she opened her now-award-winning architectural firm in 1996—thanking her supporters from her Cornell years. Ponni has designed several large-scale buildings across multiple countries and has garnered 165 national and global awards for her work. Most recently, she was selected to design the 1.2 million-square-foot Telangana State Secretariat complex in Hyderabad, Telangana, India—becoming, she says, the first woman architect to design a government building in the country’s history. Prior to launching her own business, Ponni worked for the NYC-based Edward Larrabee Barnes architectural firm. “I would like to thank Cornell for giving me the exposure and the audacity to design several large-scale buildings in India, Qatar, and Malaysia,” she wrote. “In a way, Cornell prepared me to face the grueling challenges of my nation-building ventures in India.”

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Arts & Sciences

Leonard Lehrman, MFA ’75, DMA ’77, writes: “When Gilbert & Sullivan’s Princess Ida was produced at Cornell in 1974, I tried out and was called back for the role of King Gama, while my girlfriend (and, later, my first wife) sang chorus. Now, I am conducting a production of the piece with the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera Company of Long Island, founded in 1954.” Leonard says it will be the group’s third production of the piece, but the first with a full 23-piece orchestra. He’s been busy performing previews of Princess Ida at various locations around Long Island, from the Great Neck Library to the Smithtown Performing Arts Center—and in June 2023, he co-hosted a “Students and Teachers Concert” on Zoom, featuring the music of one of his beloved late teachers. Leonard’s full performance schedule can be found on his website.

Tracy Spaight, MA ’98, co-authored The Buried Spitfires of Burma: A ‘Fake’ History with Andy Brockman in 2020. With a foreword by actor Sir Tony Robinson, the book has garnered rave reviews from the UK press in its first few years on the market. “Rarely has a book about an archaeological dig been so exciting to a layman,” wrote the Telegraph in 2020. The Daily Express, meanwhile, called the book “hugely entertaining.” According to its description, the book tells the story of a farmer’s quest to uncover 20 fighter jets that he suspects have been buried beneath Myanmar since World War II. But—amid executing a high-tech, high-profile archaeological excavation to find them—his project takes him to unexpected places, as he “unearths a tale of fake history highlighting the conflict between those who want to believe legends and those who demand evidence and the truth.”

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Graduate School

Yvonne Masters, PhD ’07, was recently featured in a Quality Assurance & Food Safety magazine article, “The Food Safety Set: 21 Leaders Who Have Shaped the Last 30 Years of Food Safety.” According to the article, Yvonne is an International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Travel Scholarship award winner, has served as the IAFP’s chair of dairy safety, and has led such high-profile initiatives as the revision of the IAFP’s “Pocket Guide to Dairy Sanitation” and updating industry standards for the safe processing of nuts, as she’s also a member of the Peanut Tree Nut Processors Association’s technical committee. As the director of food safety and quality policy at John B. Sanfilippo & Son, a processor and distributor of tree nuts and peanuts, Yvonne was awarded the Harold Barnum Industry Award at the IAFP’s 2022 annual meeting for her service and dedication to the field of public food safety. She frequently educates workers across the food industry about safety practices and also lends her expertise as a speaker.

Joseph Podwol, PhD ’10, has joined the economic and financial consulting firm Cornerstone Research as a senior economist in the firm’s Washington, DC, office. Prior to joining Cornerstone, Joseph served as an economist at the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice for more than a decade.

Miriam Edelman, MPA ’12, recently had an article, “Can Negative Societal Effects of Speech Disorders and Discrimination Against People With Verbal Disorders Finally End?,” published in the Social Work Today journal. In recognition of Better Speech and Hearing Month in May 2023, Miriam’s article explores the barriers that people who suffer from speech impediments must endure. On a nationally visible level, she cites several examples of President Joe Biden’s stutter being used as late-night comedy fodder. However, in people’s day-to-day lives, she writes, speech issues can have detrimental results in their social lives, employment, and ability to communicate with others—all based on society’s outdated perceptions and phobias surrounding individuals with disabilities.

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Johnson Graduate School of Management

Dave Bowen, MBA ’77, reports that he celebrated his 72nd birthday in Antarctica, 140 miles south of the Antarctic Circle. At that time of year, there was no sunset, just 24 hours of daylight. Aboard the National Geographic polar expedition ship Endurance, Dave was married to Patricia McInerney in a ceremony performed by the ship’s captain. The Antarctica trip completed his quest to have traveled to all seven continents. Dave enjoys skiing, travel, and biking. He helps maintain America’s most iconic hiking trail—the Appalachian Trail. He is a full-time ski instructor at Virginia’s Massanutten Resort, and VP of operations and Appalachian Trail district manager, South Shenandoah National Park, for the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club. Dave’s biking activity involves various rails-to-trails including the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath trail, the Great Allegheny Passage Trail, and the Virginia Creeper. He completed riding the Great Allegheny Passage Trail, which runs 148 miles from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD, and connects to the 184-mile-long C&O Canal towpath trail, which runs from Cumberland to downtown Washington, DC, which he has ridden twice. Dave’s favorite Cornell memory: “Sitting in the front row of all my MBA classes with my friends, daring the prof to call on us!” Now that is bravery.

Feidhlim Boyle, MBA ’01, an author and fund manager, reached out with an update from the Emerald Isle: “Enjoying life in Dublin! Our son, Finn ’26, finished his freshman year at Cornell, where he ran middle distance for the Big Red track team. Been enjoying our visits back to Ithaca and seeing the great times the students have at Cornell.”

Sue Nowicki, MBA ’10, writes that she’s excited to head back to Cornell in May to attend daughter Alyssa ’23’s graduation from the College of Arts and Sciences. Sue reports that she’s leading Northrop Grumman’s engineering digital transformation initiative for the company’s mission systems sector, and she finds great satisfaction in mentoring up-and-coming engineering leaders. “They are brilliant, and I love my time with them,” Sue writes. As for her Big Red years, she says, “I truly enjoyed the time with my classmates. We had a lot of fun!”

Nupur Pande, MBA ’11, was recently named the managing director of engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) and supply chain for Linea Energy, an independent developer and producer of renewable energy located in San Francisco. In her new role, Nupur is charged with overseeing the company’s EPC operations and developing supply chain strategy to nurture the company’s growth initiatives. “I am excited to join the talented and seasoned Linea Energy team who are committed to driving the transition to a sustainable future,” Nupur said in a statement from the organization. “I look forward to contributing to the company’s mission by leading the EPC and supply chain functions to deliver on our commitments by creating and growing platforms that decarbonize the energy grid.”

Joe Edgar, MBA ’14, recently announced that he created a new platform, SnapAds, where “everyone is an influencer,” he says. The platform was created to help local small businesses better connect with customers by linking them with content creators that live within just a few miles of their businesses. According to Joe, this gives business owners an edge when competing with large-scale digital marketing campaigns. SnapAds also offers cash incentives for customers to patronize their community’s small businesses—ranging from $1 to as much as $11 per visit, depending on the date and customer location—as well as a rewards loyalty program specifically for repeat customers of locally owned enterprises. According to a statement from SnapAds, “With his previous success with TenantCloud, which was recently acquired by Greater Sum Ventures and employs over 200 people, Edgar is making strides in assisting small businesses to thrive in their local communities.”

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Weill Cornell Medicine

Jian Shen, PhD ’99, MD ’02, recently celebrated his 5,000th endoscopic spine surgery—a state-of-the-art, minimally invasive procedure that’s brought relief to scores of patients suffering from chronic neck, leg, and back pain. “I am incredibly grateful to all the team members who assisted me in reaching this accomplishment,” wrote Jian in a statement from St. Mary’s Healthcare in Amsterdam, NY, where he completed the milestone surgery. “I am also so humbled by the patients who entrust me with their care. It is a great privilege to help patients return to their former lifestyles with greater peace, more activity, and less pain.” Jian is frequently sought out by colleagues for lectures, demonstrations, and advice—and even for their own health issues, as he’s earned the nickname “The Spine Doctor Spine Surgeons Use” among his peers. He cofounded the International Society of Endoscopic Spine Surgery and has earned several awards, including 2020’s New York Endoscopic Spine Surgeon of the Year. According to reviews on the Health Grades website—where he’s earned nearly 200 five-star ratings—he’s consistently praised by patients for explaining conditions well, conducting thorough appointments, and being a great listener. Alumni interested in learning more about Jian’s work are invited to visit his website.

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Top image: Photo by Jason Koski / Cornell University

Published July 1, 2023