RIVERDALE Spring 2020
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SPRING 2020 /// XLIII /// NUMBER 2
From the
CLASSROOM to the WRITER’S ROOM
Three Riverdale Women’s Journeys to Making Television
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Recap: Homecoming and Reunion Weekend
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Riverdale Women in Television
featuring Carly Mensch ’01, Meryl Poster ’82, and Jessica Queller ’87 by Lovia Gyarkye ’12
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Star Student: Crossword Puzzle by Sara Muchnick ’10
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The Honorable Reverend Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook ’74 by Nicole Kagan ’20
Q&A with Olympic Hopeful Iman Blow ’15 by Cliff Bayer ’95
25 Class Notes
From the Head of School At the time of this writing, our world is facing a test of its collective strength. For many of us, whether in New York City or across the country or world, it has been a time of isolation, fear, frustration, and great uncertainty. And, while the weeks and months ahead may still call for physical isolation from our peers, friends, and families, I have watched our community and others’ come together to support one another, to offer help to those in need, and to find innovative ways to create essential human connections. I am heartened by this response—and, in particular, by how quickly Riverdale’s families, administration, faculty, staff, and students have risen to meet these challenges and work together to keep our community strong. We will not be able to hold alumni gatherings and events this year, as we often do in the spring, and I regret that we will miss the opportunity to connect with many of you in person. Additionally, it is clear that the current environment has impacted us in ways we may not yet fully understand, and we are evaluating how best to support our broader alumni community during and following this period of volatility. I look forward to communicating with you more as these plans evolve. What follows in these pages reflects, I believe, the very best of Riverdale: the pursuit of our passions, joyful connections among old friends, and the desire to change our world for the good. I am hopeful that this Riverdale mainstay will help to create consistency among the chaos and will bring you some enjoyment and familiarity in these ever-changing times. Please be well and continue to stay in touch. Sincerely,
Dominic A.A. Randolph Head of School
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Do you or your employer have a job or internship opportunity for Riverdale Alumni? Whether it is a position for a college undergraduate, a new graduate just entering the workforce, or an experienced professional,
Riverdale’s Alumni Job Board can connect you with alumni who have the aptitude and skill set you may be looking for. With unemployment rates mounting daily, we hope this will provide our alumni with a resource to connect with and help one another. Please contact Robin Gottlieb at 718-519-2703 or rgottlieb@riverdale.edu and she will send you the Job Board Questionnaire. QUAD/Spring 2020
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ecap
Homecoming and Reunion 2019
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A beautiful fall day was the perfect backdrop for Homecoming and Reunion, which took place on Saturday, October 19, 2019. Members of the classes ending in 4s and 9s came back to campus to celebrate their respective reunions. Highlights included a children’s magic show, featuring “Magical Dave” Nieder ’95, an alumnae of color panel discussion, a book discussion, a barbecue lunch, class photos, and tours of both the Hill and River Campuses. During the Alumni Award presentations, the Class of 1969 received the Reunion Class Award, Tiffany Austin Liston ’94 received the Alumni Achievement Award, and Geoff Howard ’59 received the Ernest McAnery Alumni Spirit Award. In addition, Frankel Field offered fun-filled activities for alumni, students, parents, and faculty to enjoy, while others cheered on the Falcons in the many athletic competitions. The celebrations were not limited to the activities. Each class continued their reunion festivities during the evening of Reunion weekend with events held both on and off campus. The classes of ’69, ’74, ’79, ’04,’09, and ’14 all enjoyed kick-off Reunion parties in Manhattan on Friday, October 18. On the evening of Saturday, October 19, members of the classes of ’64, ’69, ’74, and ’79 attended an on-campus cocktail reception and dinner which featured music by the accomplished Riverdale jazz band. The classes of ’89, ’94 and ’99 opted to continue their reunion gatherings at a variety of venues in Manhattan. Reunion weekend is always a meaningful time to reminisce and reconnect with old friends and classmates. A fun weekend was had by all!
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Understanding the Journey Kyle Somersall ’09 on connecting the dots of his educational and career path 7
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An entrepreneur in the business of empowerment, Kyle Somersall ’09 has created unique opportunities for purpose-driven individuals to find deeper connections to the world around them—but he doesn’t want to stop there. After graduating from Riverdale and earning a degree from Wesleyan University in psychology and sociology, Kyle embarked on what he considers to be a nonlinear career path, although a distinctive common thread woven through each venture seems to bind them. “The dots are much easier to connect when I look back,” says Kyle about his diverse and evolving portfolio, “but I’ve mostly been driven by what excites me and what I like learning about.” Once a third-grade teacher in the New York City charter school network, his passion for working with young people ignited Kyle’s curiosity to explore the dynamics of mindfulness, his ability to connect with others, and in turn, their ability to connect with themselves and one another. Kyle is now set on continuing to fulfill his entrepreneurial pursuits and is laser-focused on using his creative strengths to drive meaningful projects that keep one important thing in mind: the human connection. Before the founding of his meditation company, Innerglow, a global community that provided professionals with opportunities to participate in meditation classes and mindful social events, Kyle worked tirelessly to find his voice and harness energy behind his concepts. Kyle credits much of his growth to both his high school and college experiences and recognizes that individuals he met throughout each phase helped him lean into his creativity with enthusiasm and a new sense of possibility. “Through the years, I got to learn from some amazing teachers,” says Kyle when reflecting on his time at Riverdale, “and developed relationships that made it easier for me to be confident in my own ideas.” Kyle reflects on one of the most influential experiences of his life, noting, “Co-founding Wesleyan’s music magazine, Waves, and blog
was really big for me because it helped show me that I was capable of turning ideas into something real...It exposed me to a level of commitment and creative energy that I had never experienced before.” Such well-resourced environments provide endless opportunity and multi-layered support systems, which are crucial to connecting with people that not only encourage growth but inspire exploration. “For me, Riverdale was the first setting that pushed the idea of learning for learning’s sake,” says Kyle. “It also opened up my mind to what I’m capable of creating in the world because the faculty have such high expectations for their students.” Along with providing motivation to delve deeper into his passions among dedicated faculty, staff, and peers, Riverdale represented a stepping stone for Kyle’s journey into entrepreneurship and paired perfectly with the paved path Wesleyan set for his innovative ideas. Looking through a different lens and with a renewed sense of purpose, Kyle remains connected to Riverdale as a volunteer with the hope of helping today’s students navigate their own paths and uncover their greatest strengths: “I care about empowering students to take advantage of their time at Riverdale, because I know how special it is.” Now taking on his next business venture, Kyle continues focusing on mindfulness as he better understands its connection to living a fruitful and fulfilling life. Most recently, Kyle co-founded Gratitude Plus, an app that helps users adopt an optimistic mindset while forming a fortifying gratitude habit with the support of community. His observation of professionals, like himself, coping with loneliness and stress that affected their overall well-being continues to serve as a guide for his next move. “One of the biggest things my practice has helped me understand is that our value as humans goes beyond the external sources we often look to for validation,” says Kyle. “I’m moved to help others see their full potential, so they can do and create the things they want as well.” QUAD/Spring 2020
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illustrations by Dan Baxter
Riverdale Women in Television by Lovia Gyarkye ’12 When Meryl Poster ’82 was a senior at Riverdale, one of the most popular shows on primetime television was Dallas, a series about the tensions within a wealthy Texas family. The show was created by a man. And most of its episodes were written and directed by men. But Poster, who is the executive producer of the Bravo drama The
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Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce and president of the production company Superb Entertainment, wasn’t thinking about that at the time. Instead, she was enjoying her classes in Integrated Liberal Studies (ILS), which was in its second year, and managing the boys lacrosse team. She was taking advantage of the opportunities Riverdale
gave her to express herself and cultivating a sense of independence that would prove critical to her career. “Riverdale gave me confidence in so much of my endeavors,” she said. Poster’s career began at the talent agency William Morris where she worked in the mailroom for two months before she became second assistant to Lee Stevens, the president at the time, and then assistant to the head of talent for Motion Picture and Television. “There weren’t any women who were TV agents then,” she said. “But I didn’t really think of it that way. I always followed my own path.” Television has changed a lot since Poster’s career began and even more so since she was a senior at Riverdale. Think about the most popular, not to mention most critically acclaimed, shows in the last couple of years alone: We are living in the age of shows like Issa Rae’s Insecure and Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag. There have never been more women in television — both on the screen and off. According to Boxed In, an annual report from Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, San Diego State University, the percentage of women characters in speaking roles was 45 percent last year, a historic high. Women made up 45 percent of major characters on shows across all platforms (broadcast network, cable, and streaming programs) and accounted for a record 31 percent of the people working as creators, directors, producers and other key roles behind the scenes. The story of Poster’s career coupled with those of two other Riverdale alumnae — Jessica Queller ’87, an executive producer of CW’s Supergirl, and Carly Mensch ’01, a co-creator of Netflix’s GLOW — reflect a small part of how women have made and continue to make extraordinary strides in this industry. Jessica Queller was only five years behind Poster at Riverdale, but her career trajectory
was radically different. “I acted in all the school plays at Riverdale; theater was my thing,” Queller said. At the time, Jeanine Tesori, whose play Fun Home won a Tony Award for Best Musical and marked the first time an all-female duo won the prize, and Keith Levenson ’78 were directing the school’s productions. “My dream was to be on Broadway and win Tony Awards,” Queller said. Queller stuck with that plan until she was about 29. At that age she realized that what she actually wanted to do was write. “It took me through my twenties, working as an actor and dating writers, to realize that I didn’t want to marry an alcoholic, manicdepressive writer; I just wanted to be one,” she said. “But I didn’t have the confidence to think I could be an Arthur Miller.” She was already in Los Angeles, where she had moved a few years earlier to audition for roles in film and television, and had no idea where to start. After a friend was cast in Fox’s legal drama Ally McBeal, Queller started hanging out on set and learning about the process. That’s when “it dawned on me that there was such a thing as a television writing profession,” she said. Queller’s first job — writing for a neveraired television show for Fox — brought her back to New York, which led her to land her second job in the writers’ room of the WB’s Felicity. The show gave Queller the start that she QUAD/Spring 2020
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THE WB / BRAVO / CBS / THE CW / NETFLIX
needed as well as experience in a particular corner of the industry. Looking back, she recalls “very condescending, but specific” advice that she received early in her career from a male literary agent. She wanted to write a legal drama and showed him a spec script for such. He told her to rebrand. “He said, ‘Why are you writing a law show? You’re not a lawyer,’” she recalled. “‘You’re a young woman who grew up in New York. If I were you, I would market myself as the WB girl. [The WB is now known as the CW.] Write about what it’s like being a young woman.’” The agent was referring to shows like Felicity and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls, which focused on the experiences of a specific kind of woman — usually white, often charming — navigating real-life problems. Queller did just that and, while she is grateful for the career she’s had, she often wonders what it could have looked like had she stopped to think about the implications of his advice: “In retrospect, I think what an ass. Why couldn’t I have written the legal show? My father is an attorney. I’m an intelligent human being, and I could have gone to law school.”
But she found success and, as a result of working on shows like Gilmore Girls and Gossip Girl, she was often in writers’ rooms with many women. “I happened to be in rooms that were always at least 50 percent women, which was very unusual,” she said. “So I didn’t feel terribly challenged because of my gender.”
Almost two decades later, Carly Mensch, would have a similar writing room experience. Except that the women at the center of television shows were slightly different. At the start of Mensch’s career, prestige networks like Showtime were putting serious money behind shows with different kinds of female roles. They were still not quite the ethnically and sexually diverse women of today’s television, but they were often antiheroes — darker and more complicated. Mensch’s first industry gig was as a staff writer for Jenji Kohan’s show Weeds on Showtime. “I have been spoiled,” Mensch said. “I started working for a woman and have been breathing rarefied air since.” Mensch, who graduated from Riverdale in 2001, had no real intention of going into the arts when she was a student. On campus, she was a three-season athlete (“I played soccer, lacrosse, and then winter track just to keep in shape”) and Madame Hoffman’s Advanced Placement French class was the closest she got to thinking seriously about language. At Dartmouth, Mensch flirted with political science and took a creativewriting class, but she came back to French, ultimately choosing to major in it. Her first brush with drama was a happy accident. Dartmouth was holding a playwriting competition in which participants were expected to write, cast, and produce a play within 24 hours. Mensch’s friend asked her to be her partner specifically because she lacked experience. She thought “it would make it interesting,” Mensch recalls. “It was almost like a dare and, I will say, writing that play was eye opening for me.” But at that point it was too late for Mensch to switch her major to drama, so she took some elective classes instead — one a dramaturgy class focused on Tony Kushner QUAD/Spring 2020
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really felt like what am I doing here?”
and the other a playwriting 101 class. In the latter, she wrote a play that she considers “a full rip-off” of one of her favorite plays: Tom Stoppard’s Travesties. Her play won a school award and she found the experience of putting it on at the end of her time at Dartmouth exhilarating. It made her wonder, “Can you make a living being a playwright?” Mensch describes her post-Dartmouth years as a continuation of her slow drifts into the arts. She got a job at Playwrights Horizons, where she earned a theater education in the reverse. Instead of Shakespeare and Chekhov, her canon featured new voices and styles that inspired her to apply to graduate school. Mensch looks back at her time at Juilliard as equal parts informative and difficult. She now considers her time in the program — in her 20s — as too soon. “I really did not yet know my voice, I didn’t really know what I wanted to write about,” she said. “I know everyone seems to have imposter syndrome but I
On Weeds, Kohan treated each writer she hired like a future showrunner and ran the writers’ room with a culture of respect. “It didn’t even occur to me not to speak up,” Mensch said. “It felt like a true democracy; if you were at the table, they wanted to hear from you.” And if an episode you wrote aired, you would be present for every part of the process: from sitting on set to editing the footage. That attitude set the tone for the rest of Mensch’s career. Her next job was writing for Nurse Jackie, another Showtime drama, which is where she met Liz Flahive, with whom she would later partner to create GLOW.
GLOW, which is about the women who perform in a wrestling competition in 1980s Los Angeles, points to the future of television. Born in the era of streaming, it’s a smart show about women, grapples with interesting themes, and features an ethnically diverse cast. Behind the scenes, Mensch and her co-creator think critically about the tone they want to set. They are thoughtful about carrying forward the best of what they have learned from their own experiences. “There was a generation of women who struggled before so that I could be where I am today,” Mensch said. “Now that I have been in television a while, I’m very aware of how that was revolutionary.”
Lovia Gyarkye ’12 is an associate editor at the New York Times Magazine Labs and a writer based in New York. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Believer, and The New Republic. Carly Mensch ’01 is co-creator of the Emmy Award-nominated Netflix wrestling comedy GLOW, which she currently writes and produces. Her past credits include Orange is the New Black, Nurse Jackie, and Weeds, in addition to a number of plays she developed and produced in NYC. Meryl Poster ’82 is president and founder of Superb Entertainment. Previously, she served as president of television at The Weinstein Company where she oversaw all television development and production for shows like Project Runway All Stars and Mob Wives. She currently serves as an executive producer of the Bravo drama The Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce. Jessica Queller ’87 is a writer and executive producer of the CW hit show, Supergirl. Jessica went on to write for many of the most iconic dramedies on television, including Felicity, Ed, One Tree Hill, Gilmore Girls, The Carrie Diaries, and Gossip Girl.
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See the solution on p. 40
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Photo by Ryan Page for Darling Magazine
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The Honorable Reverend Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook ’74 by Nicole Kagan ’20 Suzan Johnson Cook ’74 has been forging the path for ambitious leaders ever since her days at Riverdale. Her professional career boasts an impressive number of firsts: from being the first female official chaplain of the New York City Police Department, to being nominated by president Barack Obama to be the first woman and African-American to hold the position of United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom in the State Department. After graduating early from Riverdale at the age of 16, Johnson Cook went on to Fisk University and later transferred to Emerson College where she again graduated ahead of schedule at just 19. By the age of 21, Johnson Cook had finished graduate school and entered the television industry where she worked for five years. After traveling the country and living all over the East Coast, she left television to become a public relations officer at Bronx Lebanon Hospital. She then entered seminary, became a minister, worked at Harvard and the NYPD—all before beginning her political career as a White House Fellow. Currently, Johnson Cook owns the professional speakers bureau, Charisma Speakers, and is the founder and CEO of the Global Black Women’s Chamber of Commerce. It is clear that Johnson Cook is a woman of
many talents, yet she is also tremendously humble and eagerly shared her thoughts and stories with me—almost as curious to hear about my Riverdale experience as I was to learn about her remarkable professional trajectory. When I asked which of her many roles she most enjoyed, Johnson Cook insisted that they were all fascinating. “For me it’s being open to possibilities, and being prepared for them when they come,” she said. “Riverdale and Emerson provided a great education, and for me, it’s about doing the best you can with what you have, where you are, and being open to as many opportunities as possible. Sometimes you find yourself sitting beside Presidents, sometimes you find yourself sitting next to the Pope.” Not only has Johnson Cook sat beside presidents, she has advised and collaborated with them. While she served on the Domestic Policy Council for the Clinton Administration, she connected with the former President on a deeper level. Given their mutual passion for religion, Johnson Cook and Clinton were able to develop the first faith-based initiatives for the U.S. government, “a great synthesis of my faith experience and his faith vision,” she said. Johnson Cook’s political career was filled with highlights of this sort including prideful QUAD/Spring 2020
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moments such as seeing Nelson Mandela honored on the White House lawn, aiding President Clinton in his initiatives on race, watching Obama’s inauguration, and, of course, flying on Air Force One alongside some of the world’s most influential people. While Johnson Cook has had quite the career since leaving Riverdale, she has maintained a connection with the school, recognizing it as a “very special place.” In reflecting on her high school experience, Johnson Cook noted that Riverdale has come a long way in terms of diversity and inclusion. In fact, upon returning to the Bronx for a class reunion recently, she noted, “I had never seen that many people of color on the campus of Riverdale in my life. I was very excited!” Johnson Cook went on to explain that she was one of only three African-American girls in her Riverdale class. Those circumstances were isolating at times. “All students of color would get on one bus, and all of the Park Avenue kids would get on the charter bus. You could see Black here and White there,” she said. “We came together during the day for class, but went back to our neighborhoods, which were so different.” While this was a difficult journey to navigate at times, Johnson Cook insisted that she did not leave feeling isolated or alone. She explained that the parents of some students from all three Hill schools came together to form the Black Parents Association and helped students form the Black Organization for Student Strength (BOSS), which “really saved our lives.” They hosted talent shows and celebrations and brought in speakers to make
Black culture visible. Though this was certainly a step in the right direction, Johnson Cook knew that more could have been done. Now with an affinity group program, regular diversity banquets, a formalized Community Engagement Team, numerous cultural celebrations, and an incoming Kindergarten class that is comprised of 40% students of color, Riverdale has certainly embraced a commitment to inclusion—one that makes Johnson Cook a proud alumna. She also noted that the school’s awareness is not the only thing that has changed, her relationship with her classmates has evolved as well. “We’ve come a long way,” she said. “There weren’t a lot of common denominators in our lives then, but now that we’ve come back together as colleagues, it’s not two worlds anymore. We’re just the class of ’74.” Johnson Cook could not stress enough how glad she was to reconnect with her classmates. She mentioned that simply being on campus resurrected countless positive memories, reinforcing that “friendships that start at Riverdale are life-lasting.” Reconnecting with Riverdale allowed Johnson Cook to see progress she never could have imagined. “Riverdale is now a very important place because you’ll have generations growing up together understanding diversity. Learning about each others’ cultures gives you an appreciation and respect for someone different from yourself,” she said. “The times demand this, so I’m glad that Riverdale has embraced it.”
Nicole Kagan ’20 lives in Manhattan and has been attending Riverdale Country School since 2016. She is the co-editor in chief of The Riverdale Review, a member of the Peer Assistance Leadership program, a service learning trip leader, and an Admission tour guide. Beyond Riverdale, she volunteers at the Association to Benefit Children and competes with the City Island Rowing club team, for which she serves as captain and varsity coxswain. Next year, Nicole will be attending Duke University where she hopes to pursue a major in the School of Public Policy and has been recruited to join the Division I Women’s Rowing Team.
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Campus Digest
Happenings from around Riverdale
Cynthia Wachtell ’85, director of the S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program and research associate professor of American Studies at Yeshiva University, spoke to Riverdale students about her life’s work including authoring War No More: The Antiwar Impulse in American Literature from 1861-1914 and editing The Backwash of War: An Extraordinary American Nurse in World War I, a biography of war nurse Ellen Newbold La Motte. Emilio Modeste ’18, a professional tenor saxophonist and student
The Hilltop Diversity Coalition, a student-led organization that strives to create a sense of community on the Hill, hosted the third annual Black History Month celebration, “Black Pioneership in The Visual Arts.” The Coalition showcased student art as well as art from high-profile professional Black artists based in NYC. Victory is ours! Riverdale’s football team regained possession of the coveted “Birds of Prey” trophy after a resounding win over Fieldston along with being named King of the Hill for defeating both Fieldston and Horace Mann. The Middle and Upper Schools collaborated on this year’s spring musical, “Hairspray,” giving younger students a chance to learn from older and more
at New York University, was hosted at Riverdale by Jason Curry, MS/US Music Chair, and led a master class for the jazz ensemble. Emilio, who plays with the Wallace Rooney Quintet, recently performed in China and has joined the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra on tour.
“Hairspray is a show about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging,” says Lexie Frare, MS/US theater, dance, and film teacher, “something we’re working really hard on here at Riverdale.” The Hill Campus gathered to hear Kailash Satyarthi, an advocate for children’s rights and recipient of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, speak about his grassroots organization, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (Save the Childhood Movement),
which has liberated more than 87,000 children from exploitation and forced labor. Maya Fernando ’22 and Ishikaa Kothari ’21 led a conversation with Satyarthi who shared the story of how his empathy for children led to a global movement, including his 100 Million Campaign.
experienced castmates throughout the creation of this special production. QUAD/Spring 2020
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F L E SH
BOOK
THE
recently published works by Riverdale alumni
Diplomacy Between the Wars: Five Diplomats and the Shaping of the Modern World (revised in paperback by Bloomsbury Press), by George W. Liebmann ’56 A detailed inside story of diplomacy seen through the careers of five remarkable diplomats. Liebmann depicts a unique and authentic picture of practical diplomacy and its effect during periods of international crisis that shaped the twentieth century. The Fall of the House of Speyer (revised in paperback by Bloomsbury Press), by George W. Liebmann ’56 The dramatic story of the last fifty years of the Speyer banking
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dynasty, a Jewish family of German descent, is surprisingly littleknown today, yet at the turn of the twentieth century, Speyer was the third largest investment banking firm in the United States, behind only Morgan and Kuhn, Loeb.
particular interest groups, relying on citizen and local initiative, and founded not on the distribution of frequently unearned benefits and power but on reciprocal contributions and obligations.
America’s Political Inventors: The Lost Art of Legislation (revised in paperback by Bloomsbury Press), by George W. Liebmann ’56
The Rise of the G.I. Army, 1940-1941: The Forgotten Story of How America Forged a Powerful Army Before Pearl Harbor (Atlantic Monthly Press), by Paul Dickson ’57
Recent American political developments reveal profound disquiet with the highly centralized political regime based on discretionary allocation of funds and powers to interest groups that has developed since the creation of emergency institutions after America’s entry into World War I. This book demonstrates the effectiveness of measures conceived in a different spirit, addressing the population at large rather than
The story of the extraordinary transformation of America’s military from a disparate collection of camps with dilapidated equipment into a well-trained and spirited army ten times its prior size in little more than eighteen months. From Franklin Roosevelt’s selection of George C. Marshall to be Army Chief of Staff to the remarkable peacetime draft of 1940 and the massive and unprecedented mock battles in Tennessee, Louisiana, and the
Carolinas by which the skill and spirit of the Army were forged and out of which iconic leaders like Eisenhower, Bradley, and Clark emerged; Dickson narrates America’s urgent mobilization against a backdrop of political and cultural isolationist resistance and racial tension at home, and the increasingly perceived threat of attack from both Germany and Japan. Pastoral Whispers (independently published), by Vera Haldy-Regier ’57 In her 3rd collection of poems, HaldyRegier has invited nature and the seasons to be her muse. Both are inspiration as well as the very fabric into which is woven their message. In “Leaf Afloat,” she writes: I held a leaf up to the sun/ breathed my anguish through its veins/ held my breath/ allowing breeze to sweep it high... Zagat 2020 New York City Restaurants (Zagat), created by Tim Zagat ’57 The guide includes intel on more than 1,400 restaurants across the five boroughs, and hundreds of restaurant indexes sorted by location, cuisine, or special occasion. In celebration of Zagat’s 40th anniversary, this special edition also features a decade-bydecade retrospective of NYC dining,
a foreword by restaurateur Danny Meyer, and more. What to Say to Your Crazy RightWing Uncle: Talking Points for Liberals (Sam/Phil Books), by Phil Proctor ’58 A fun, informative handbook intended for progressives to counter conservative talking points and disinformation. Full of funny and clever dialogue and political cartoons, this is a perfect gift for your political allies and the loved ones in your life who are driving you nuts. Foreword by Thom Hartmann. Meltdown and the Neuroscience of Stress (Cambridge Scholars Publishing), by Arnold Eggers ’63 The book investigates the concept of stress, how it causes a cluster of life-threatening diseases, and what you can do to save yourself. It is a summation of what the author, a neurologist, has learned about stress throughout his career. Mama’s Work Shoes (Harry N. Abrams), by Caron Levis ’96 (with art by Vanessa Brantley Newton)
her Mama navigate their emotions when Mama returns to work, using the sounds of mama’s shoes to show how they work it out, together. This Way Charlie (Harry N. Abrams), by Caron Levis ’96 (with art by Charles Santoso) This story, created by the team behind the award winning Ida, Always, is inspired by a real animal friendship: Charlie, a blind horse, and Jack, a skittish and skeptical goat, meet at a wildlife sanctuary, and form a powerful friendship, which gets tested by life’s storms— but ultimately changes each life for the better. Adam Decoded: A Brief History of Man’s True Origins (independently published), by Leon Bibi ’83 The long awaited sequel to Adam = Alien: Unveiling Our True Origins helps decode the past using credible photographic and written texts. It takes the reader on a journey to evaluate clues given in the Bible, as well as ancient archaeology and Sumerian texts written in code 4,000 years ago.
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ecap Dan Abrams ’84 Book Talk Dan Abrams ’84 spoke to a captivated alumni audience about his new book, Theodore Roosevelt for the Defense: The Courtroom Battle to Save His Legacy. The book tells the largely forgotten story of the 1915 trial in which the former President was sued for libel. The event, which took place on December 2, 2019 at the Harvard Club, was followed by a cocktail reception and book signing. Abrams is founder and CEO of Abrams Media, Chief Legal Affairs Correspondent for ABC News, host of the top-rated cable series “Live PD“ on A&E, and host of SiriusXM’s “The Dan Abrams Show: Where Politics Meets The Law.” He was previously co-anchor of ABC’s “Nightline,” and host of “The Abrams Report” and the acclaimed “Verdict with Dan Abrams” on MSNBC. Dan also served as general Dominic Randolph, Head of School, manager of MSNBC, where he presided over a period of and Dan Abrams ’84 (right). unprecedented growth, with ratings and profits each increasing by well over 50% during his tenure.
The Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 Assembly Concert The Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 Assembly Concert is an annual performance established in 2012 in honor of Mark Sutton-Smith ’73 by the late Donald King, his wife Mary Elizabeth, and their children, David, Katherine, and Donald. This program aims to ensure the ongoing exposure of classical music to the Riverdale community, which started the late Mr. Sutton-Smith on his own journey as a composer.
Top L-R: Jean Schneider (Pianist), Joanne SuttonSmith, Dr. Katherine Ann King, Susan Poliacik (MS/ US Music Teacher) Bottom L-R: David Livingston King, friend of Joanne Sutton-Smith, and Ethan Cobb ’17
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On January 21, 2020 Riverdale alum and current Harvard University student, Ethan Cobb ’17, performed a program of classical music accompanied by accomplished pianist Jean Schneider. In commemorating Mark SuttonSmith’s Riverdale legacy, it was even more meaningful to welcome another talented former Riverdale student back to campus to perform as well as connect with the school community.
Ethan Cobb ’17 plays the cello.
Riverdale Community Action Day The 11th Annual Riverdale Community Action Day (RCAD) was held on Saturday, November 23, 2019. RCAD was established in 2008 by alumni Stefanie Firtell Donath ’91, Carolyn Braun Rosen ’92 and Danielle Englebardt ’94 with the goal to teach students that service work in their communities does not end upon graduation. The event, which always takes place on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, drew over 600 alumni, parents, students, and faculty who participated in activities that support and strengthen existing relationships with several of the school’s local partners, while simultaneously reconnecting with the Riverdale community. This year’s event co-chairs were Elana Wexler Kobrin ’99, Jaime Benjamin Trichon ’97, Betsy Goldin, and Solange Schipani. In addition, more than 50 steering committee members, parents, alumni, and student volunteers helped organize the day.
2019
RCAD Achievements: • 205 new/unopened gifts were wrapped and donated to 13th Street/MLK School • 140 flowerpots decorated, planted, and donated to the elderly residents of the Hebrew Home for Aged • 64 cards created for patients at the Bronx VA Hospital • 2,220 children’s and adult books collected for Hunts Point Alliance in the Bronx • 160 toys in decorated boxes for the children at Rosie’s Theater Kids • 75 decorated canvas bags filled with food to be distributed through Hunts Point Alliance • 93 Blossom Buds made for cats at the Animal Care Centers • 50 bags of clothing donated to Goodwill • 42 bags of menstrual hygiene products and 17 large bags of diapers and baby wipes collected for POTS • 100 inspirational messages written for the Thankful Tree, displayed outside the Lower School cafeteria • 10 large bags of athletic and formal wear for Sumbandila School • 100 students participated in dodgeball and floor hockey with athletes from the Challenged Athletes Foundation
Q&
A
Bayer ’95 f lif C r e c n fe ic p m ly Two-time O an Blow ’15 Im l fu e p o h o y k To s w intervie Olympics, and e th r fo g in in a tr , g in about fenc Riverdale memories.
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Cliff Bayer: What drew you into fencing and when did you start? Iman Blow: I grew up in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and started fencing when I was 9 years old. My twin brother and I started at the same time with the Peter Westbrook Foundation yet within a month, I was ready to quit. The physical demands were brutal but my father insisted I stick with it and I listened to him. About a year later, I won my first competition and was hooked. I started in the foil discipline (one of three types of fencing) and really enjoyed it, so stuck with it. I like the strategic nature of the sport and constant back and forth. CB: What is your favorite aspect/part of the sport? Do you have a favorite moment from a practice or competition? IB: My favorite aspect of fencing is letting go of what you think you can do and showing what you can actually do. Fencing allows for moments to be created where you can transcend your fears and produce results. Winning the 2018 individual NCAA championship in women’s foil while I was a senior at Columbia University was a very special moment for me. CB: What has your experience been like training for the Olympics? IB: I balance my fencing training with working part time. I work 3 days a week at Fortress Investment Group as an intern in their corporate securities division and do personal strength training 4 days, which includes weights, boxing, swimming, and various cardio exercises. I take 3-4 lessons per week with my coach, Alex Martin, and fence with other members of the national team 4 times a week. CB: Reflecting back, what did you love about your time at Riverdale? IB: The teachers, the administration, and the overall environment at Riverdale were incredibly accommodating to my hectic travel and competition schedules. My teachers actively helped me organize my work requirements and plan ahead so I could balance my work load with my demanding training schedule. The teachers I had at Riverdale helped me acquire and hone the organizational skills I needed to succeed at Columbia and beyond. CB: Were there any teachers or mentors who stood out as especially helpful and supportive? IB: There were so many helpful teachers at Riverdale. Nurse Lide was incredibly helpful and always available when I needed her; Shelby Stokes challenged me to elevate my writing to a level I had trouble comprehending at the time; and Carin McLain encouraged me to consider and prioritize my mental health as I made my transition into college life. CB: What are you doing to relax when you’re not training? IB: My favorite shows to watch are Big Little Lies, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, This is Us, and black-ish. 24
Class Notes
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
1950
1946 Patricia Arkin Gerdsen patfossillady@gmail.com
1951
1947 Become a Class Correspondent* 1948 Become a Class Correspondent* 1949 Become a Class Correspondent* 1950 Become a Class Correspondent* 1951 Karl R. Heiser krheiser@verizon.net
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Save the Date: 70th Reunion October 17, 2020
From Chuck Marietta: “My grandson, Charles Vanderbilt, whom I raised, advised me that his family, wife, and two sons, are changing their surname to ‘Marietta.’ Now the name can continue.” Dotty Hutton Scher is “still truckin’.” She notes, “I have two (of four) grandchildren in NY, which keeps me in touch with the younger generation’s interests and doings. I still go
to Puerto Vallarta every year to get away from February (for two weeks) and Paris in April, of course. I chair a terrific poetry group at a local library and belong to a French conversation group. New York is a great place for us oldies. No driving and plenty of entertainment. Thanks for keeping us all in touch.” Felix Santoni (right), our class “Energizer Bunny” reports: “On November 7, I was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the University of Puerto Rico ROTC building in Rio Piedras. We had the honor of being inducted several years ago at the
Mayagüez campus where we have another ROTC program. I am not a UPR graduate as I earned my commission through the ROTC program at the University of Pennsylvania, so being inducted into these two Hall
of Fames is very special for me. “We had the pleasure to see Karl Heiser’s family when they visited Puerto Rico and feel honored to be able to spend time with them. Karl must be very proud that his son, his wife, and his grandchildren are of the highest quality.” Felix also adds: “Here is some information on the activity of Navy week that I was involved in to support the Navy here in Puerto Rico. The Navy brought a band from Mayport, FL to PR and had a series of activities, many that I attended. The person in charge of the band is a LT from Puerto Rico and they played twice in the shopping Center, called Plaza las Americas and they were spectacular. They originally were scheduled to bring an Admiral, but he was unable to come and brought a Puerto Rican Navy CPT who commands the Hospital at Corpus Christi, TX and he was the Navy lead. It was a great event and supported their recruiting efforts in Puerto Rico.” John Lankester and wife Helga “have decided it is time to declutter and downsize. A difficult process because we have a lifetime of ‘stuff’ which is of value to us but no one else. We will depart Sydney on Easter Sunday aboard the Noordam to Vancouver thence on to Alaska and ending up in Seattle. Will visit family and friends in California from there before returning to Oz. Wishing all health and
happiness.”
Dick Bernhard writes, “I’m happy to report that my family and I are doing a lot better than when I last wrote earlier this year shortly after the death of my wife, Cindy—my best friend for over 51 years, my precious wife for nearly 50 years, and, most importantly, the mother of our 3 great kids, Barbie, Christian, and Hans! We’ve now come to realize that we’re all better off that Cindy’s several years of suffering with liver disease are over, that she’s gone to a much better place, and that those of us left behind can honor her well by carrying on in useful, productive ways! I’m currently still working as professor emeritus at NCSU, teaching my graduate course on Financial Engineering, serving on Faculty Senate, delivering Meals on Wheels, and being a good friend to all of my children, grandchildren, and folks at my church and retirement community. I attach herewith a recent picture of me (above) taken at the Clubhouse of NCSU’s Lonnie Poole Golf Course with my daughter Barbie Windom, director of NCSU’s University Tutorial Center, and her son, my grandson, Trevor Windom, a freshman at UNC-Wilmington, a 20,000-student institution at the North Carolina seashore!
The rest of my family is also doing very well! I look forward to receiving more news of our other still-living classmates from RCS 1951!” Chuck Walther reports from his home in suburban Bear Mountain, “As suggested by Karl Heiser in 1949, I have finally stopped wearing my yellow zoot suit. Goodwill, however, doesn’t know what to do with it.” Don’t worry, VC, I know what to do with it!
1953 Bill Gardner writes: “It is with great sadness that I report that Bob Milligan’s wife of 60 years, Shirley, passed away earlier this fall.” Dick Kaeyer passed away on February 2, 2020 after a long battle with cancer. Upon graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Seabee, achieving the rank of lieutenant prior to returning to Columbia University to earn a Master of Architecture. Dick practiced architecture for over 40 years. His extensive portfolio of work includes the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers High School, Westchester Community College Arts & Science Building and Administration Building, Frank B. Hall, and many other private and community-based projects.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1952 Barbara Dean Schuler 914-337-2712 1953 William H. Gardner whginc@mindspring.com 1954 Nancy Bomeisler Nightingale nbnight@optimum.net 1955 Jane Samet Rogers jazzpiano77@verizon.net 1956 Barbara Berger Goldman barbaraandronnie@aol.com 1957 Judith Austin judyaustin40@yahoo.com Bob Johnson robert.johnson@mto.com Suellen Jacobs Schaffzin craftyme33@hotmail.com Martin A. Zelnik panzel1@aol.com
Prior to retiring, he was president of the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and was elevated to fellow in the AIA.
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1958 David F. Lahm dflahm@gmail.com 1959 Michelle Seligson 617-320-3935 Geoff Howard howards@warwick.net 1960 E. Harvey Meer ehmeer@aol.com 1961 Lawrence Rosenbluth rosenbluth342@yahoo.com 1962 Tom Franklin ranklinus@aol.com Joseph Pickard jpickard1306@msn.com
1954 Nancy Bomeisler Nightingale sadly reports that she lost her dear husband, Billy, after 65 years of marriage. “It was very sudden,” she notes.
1955 Save the Date: 65th Reunion October 17, 2020
1956 Larry Ackman shares: “Ronnie and I are just about to leave for Israel with members of my family. The tour was organized by my daughter-in-law, Neri, who was born in Israel. “We have been in touch with Mimi Sherwin and Bill Borchard. We have also seen Alice and Steve Shapiro. “I celebrated my 80th birthday last May 25th with a party at Daniel Restaurant in NYC. Ronnie and I put on a performance from the Broadway songbook. I sang and Ronnie accompanied me on the piano. “We are looking forward to a trip in June to Europe. We love to travel.” Barbara Berger Goldman reports that she and Craig Gray are still going to Maine for the summer: “We are very fortunate that my sons, Steven and Michael, take turns driving us back and forth. It is a thousand-mile trip. We can’t fly, because we have two dogs.” From Stuart Rose: “I fondly
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remember my 14 years at RCS. (Yes, I started in prekindertgarten!) Mr. Gardener was my favorite teacher.
boys from my first marriage in 1963. It has all worked out quite well and I am a very lucky guy!
“I went to Amherst College and then on to medical school (Columbia P&S ’65). After that, internship and residency (internal medicine) in San Francisco, then three years stationed at NATO in Brussels, Belgium, with the Army Medical Corps and was discharged in 1972 with a rank of Major.
“I remain quite healthy at age 81, but really need to stay active! I go to the gym twice a week and work out with a trainer. Muscle strength is very important to maintain for us old folks. If you go to Facebook, you can get some idea of what I’m up to.”
“After discharge, I migrated into emergency medicine (then a new specialty) because I liked the variety and challenge of what came through the ER door, and I liked being on my feet, doing various procedures, not just seeing patients in an office setting (boring!). I worked a variety of jobs in various ERs in Massachusetts, all in community hospitals. I retired a few years ago from ER medicine (Noble Hospital in Westfield, MA) and devote most of my time running my website (www.travelmed. com) plus trying to stay as active as possible, including travel overseas. “I like hiking, mountain climbing (Matterhorn, Kilimanjaro x 2), and even have completed 89 parachute jumps! (Back in the 1950s...) “I got married in 1979 (#2) to a wonderful Austrian woman I met in Northampton. She is an oriental rug expert who I met when she came to assess a carpet when I was living in Amherst and one thing led to another! I inherited a great stepson (Nick) plus I have 2
Sadly, Susan Berns Rothchild’s husband John Rothchild passed away on December 27, 2019.
1957 Jeffrey Goldmuntz shares the following news of his father: “It is with great sadness that I must report that, after a five-year struggle with kidney failure, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, Raymond Max Goldmuntz passed away in Namur, Belgium. He is survived by his spouse of 50 years, Andrea, living in Belgium and myself, his son Jeffrey, living in Arizona.” Nina and Tim Zagat are back at it. Great news for those of you who wine and dine in NYC. After a three-year pause in publication, a special 40th anniversary edition of the world-famous Zagat guide has been published and is available on Amazon and other venues. The new 350page food opus, 2020 New York City Restaurants, has retained its classic maroon color, white graphics, and vest-pocket dimensions but Tim and Nina have innovated serious content and format
changes while retaining the original “perfect” rating system. Mazel Tov to this latest Zagat launch. (see p.20 for more details.) Jean Zeisel Richards writes: “My mother, the famous Hungarian-born American industrial designer Eva Zeisel, gets more and more famous. I am in charge of promoting her distinguished legacy. This involves many requests for photos and exhibitions of her work. “On Nov 6, 2019, the Cooper Hewitt Museum held a whole Eva day including workshops, teacher training, and a lovely evening talk between myself and Facebook’s Director of Product Design Margaret Stuart. “I still do some voiceover work; however, my main goal is to sort through several generations of family papers and documents in various languages some of which I do not speak. I am the last family member who can do it, who knows who everyone is, and most importantly, who cares.” Paul Dickson reports that his book The Rise of the G.I. Army, 1940–1941: The Forgotten Story of How America Forged a Powerful Army before Pearl Harbor will be published in early July 2020 by the Atlantic Monthly Press. Dickson’s narrative begins in 1939, the year that most members of the RCS Class of 1957, including Paul himself, were born. Dickson reports: “I am pleased to point out that Rick Bates and I spent many hours on the phone talking
about this book. Rick loved military history, and I took a number of his suggestions for improving the book to heart and wove them into the narrative.” (see p.19 for more details.) In addition, the Sunday, December 15, 2019 issue of the NY Daily News featured an article by Paul. His bestselling book, The Hidden Language of Baseball, was featured and a byline for Paul appeared as a two-page article, “The Signs Have Been There.” This article was an outgrowth of the recent Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal.
On Tuesday, October 29th, a hardly rag-tag group from RCS ’57 enjoyed an evening at the Metropolitan Opera, nominally to celebrate Warren Golde’s 80th birthday. (Not to suggest that Warren attends the opera for all of his birthdays.) The evening began with an elegant dinner at the Grand Tier Restaurant at the Met, and then a performance of Gluck’s “Orfeo ed Euridice.” Joining Warren and Jane Ellen Golde for the dinner and opera performance were Patricia and Jeff Fisher, Muffy and Bob Glauber, Alison and Larry Johnson, and Jane and Doug Warwick. Louise and Richard Meade ’56, Ed Schaffzin, Sue Jacobs Schaffzin, and Nina and Tim
Zagat joined the group for dinner only. After they have recovered, the group will decide whether to celebrate all future Golde birthdays this way (photo at left).
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1963 Stephen R. Blank stephen.blank@att.net Peter W. Philip petersells@aol.com Paul K. Safer pksmd@msn.com
Sue Jacobs Schaffzin and Ed Schaffzin attended Ed’s 55th reunion at Yale Law School. Classmates discussed the challenges of aging and climate control. A highlight on October 19th was Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in conversation with Dean Heather Gerken. Also, Ed and Sue celebrated their 15th anniversary during MLK weekend in Hollywood, FL (photo above): “Friday was dinner with my older grandsons at a Cuban restaurant in Miami. Saturday, we enjoyed the sun, surf, and each other in Hollywood Beach, dining at Margaritaville! Sunday, we drove to Boca and lunched with family. Now it’s back to dieting and reality in NY.”
1964 John H. Jiler johnjiler@earthlink.net 1965 Gail A. Hart york86@aol.com Melissa Gordon melmelg48@aol.com 1966 Become a Class Correspondent* 1967 Carol Nathan McKegney mckeg9@comcast.net 1968 John M. Davis johnmdavis3@gmail.com
Sue also met up with Lassa and Marty Zelnik at the 92nd Street Y to hear the wonderful story of Marvin Hamlisch as related delightfully by Terre Blair
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1969 Nancy Duff-Boehm ’69 nduff611@aol.com 1970 David Asencio david102251@msn.com Robert S. Kahn bob@kahnconsulting.com 1971 Jerry J. Fall fall.jerry@gmail.com Charlotte Jones McCormick shamimccormick@gmail.com 1972 Elizabeth S. Lasdon eslasdon@gmail.com 1973 Anthony Melchior melchprod@aol.com 1974 Roger Sherman rsherman@cyruscapital.com Donnamarie Barnes donnamariebarnes@gmail.com
Hamlisch, whom he married in 1989. Accompanying the singers on the piano was David Lahm ’58 (photo on p.28).
time to launch a national tour of the play I co-authored with Sam Joseph, God Help Us, starring Ed Asner as God (of course).
Vera Haldy-Regier has just published her third edition of poems, Pastoral Whispers. In this book, she expresses through poetry and prose her love of nature and other probing insights into life’s journey. (see p.20 for more details.) Vera previously authored two other books, a memoir, An Irregular Girlhood in Hitler’s Shadow, and Spirit Speaks, Are You Listening? Vera spent 40 years as a magazine editor, freelance writer and editor, and marketing executive. She presently resides in Hastingson-Hudson and Woodstock, New York, with husband Jim Regier. They celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in October 2019.
“Sam and I just released a book called What to Say to your Crazy Right-wing Uncle: Talking Points for Liberals with a foreword by Thom Hartmann, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble (see p.20 for more details); and the prize-winning audiobook version of my autobiography, Where’s My Fortune Cookie? co-authored by my friend, Brad Schreiber.
1958 David Lahm shares that classmate and friend Steven Kaplan passed away on February 9, 2020. Phil Proctor reports: “As you probably know if you subscribe to Planet Proctor, I’ve been a busy little bunny recently, hopping around the world for business and pleasure, including performing in a funny fantasy audio piece at the Dublin Worldcon Science-Fiction Convention in August with my darling wife, Melinda Peterson, followed by a trip to Scotland to celebrate her 70th birthday at one of her Clan McDougal castles on the Isle of Mull, while finding the
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“I also have a few movies coming out this year, both political satires: SammyGate, in which I portray Richard Nixon in his bizarre friendship with Sammy Davis, Jr., and another that pokes fun at a president who shall remain nameless… “Audio-wise, I’m still acting in popular video games, developing a podcast, and appearing regularly on the long-running show Adventures in Odyssey as Detective Polehaus. Furthermore, Melinda and I are treading the boards at the Antaeus Theatre Company in our brand-new theatre in Glendale and appearing at Old Time Radio conventions here on the West Coast, while I and David Ossman, the other surviving member of The Firesign Theatre, may soon perform in Seattle and Hawaii in our multi-media show called ‘The Art of Radio.’ Not bad for an old geezer who’ll turn 80 in July, eh?
1959
From Geoff Howard: “The Class of ’59 had a wonderful 60th reunion gathering at the home of Ron Winston in July (photo above). Amazingly, it was at that exact home, around that exact swimming pool, that the newly-minted class of Riverdale graduates had gathered in June 1959 to celebrate the end of one important chapter in our lives. The weather cooperated splendidly and about 20 classmates—men and women in their 70s who were once boys and girls—and their spouses gathered for a great afternoon of reconnection with good food and good talk. One of the topics covered was what it meant to have graduated in 1959, when Eisenhower was President and this thing called the “sixties” that would change everything, didn’t yet exist. It was a robust discussion with many personal stories and reflections on this hinge point in our lives and our society. Over and above the classmates who were there were so many more who couldn’t make it, but who sent in their regrets and their reunion greetings to the class. In an attempt to include as many as possible in this event, we created (with the help of the Alumni Office) a “60-Years-On” yearbook, with a page for each classmate
who signed up. The idea was to speak personally to the big question of thenand-now and many different approaches were taken. All the submissions were good, but maybe Chris Hobson’s captures the idea of me-then and me-now best. For those who were there and for those who weren’t, this yearbook will be a reminder of not only a great day, but a time in our lives before we all took off on our separate paths.”
1960 Save the Date: 60th Reunion October 17, 2020 We sadly report that Peter Dickson passed away on February 6, 2020.
1961 George Furst stopped by campus in November 2019. He reports: “I presently live in South Korea. Even though I live far away, I am always thinking of my wonderful three years at Riverdale. They were very special and really taught me to learn how to study and succeed in life. They were not easy years and I remember a few meetings with my mother and Russell Ames. But every year I did improve my grades and at the same time was very active in the music program and fencing. I remember doing solos with Carly Simon and attending the first French class with Chevy Chase. It was one of the funniest classes that I ever took.” “From Riverdale I went on to Lafayette College, then to University of Alaska, then it
was three years in the Army Corps of Engineers. First in California at the Liverdale Berkeley Labs and then a year in Vietnam. In Vietnam one of my projects was producing a geologic map of a large portion of South Vietnam. After this assignment I taught at the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Then it was back to school to Penn State University for my Ph.D in geochemistry. I then worked as a consulting geologist and finally as a geologist for the Big Dig where they built the highway under the city of Boston. In 2002 I retired and moved to South Korea where I taught in the MIT of Korea, the Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), retiring in 2015. “I have been making a website covering the geology of Korea and the mountains and rivers of South Korea. I am also living with my Korean wife of twenty-five years and she is finishing up her Ph.D. in studies of Korean history. We have also traveled extensively around the world. “I always have fond memories of Riverdale. It was an important part of my life and gave me the tools to succeed through the challenges. I have fond memories of Dr. Kaisley, Dr. Gronningsater, Bartlett Page, Russell Ames, and Mr. Schneider, my fencing coach.” “I have submitted two photos (right). The first is of our folk singing group that was active both my junior and senior years. The person on the banjo is Art Petzel. The other photo was taken of me in my fencing outfit.”
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1975 Jonathan J. Beitler jjbeitl@emory.edu Jeffrey J. Russell jjrussell@clearbridgeadvisors.com 1976 Daniel Easton mashfly007@aol.com 1977 Fran Hoffinger fhoffinger@hoffingerlaw.com
1963 Peter Philip writes: “Arnie Eggers journeyed up to New Milford, CT, to watch a performance of the Agatha Christie play, ‘Witness to the Prosecution’ in which I had a small role. We then enjoyed a dinner at my daughter Heather’s 1753 colonial.
1978 William J. McGowan bill@claritymediagroup.com 1979 Lori Tarnopol Moore lori.moore26@gmail.com 1980 Dana Swinsky Cantelmo danaswinsky@me.com
“Arnie has retired and is proud to have published Meltdown and the Neuroscience of Stress. This book investigates the concept of stress, how it causes a cluster of life-threatening diseases, and what you can do to save yourself. Riverdale alumni can benefit from the knowledge Arnie has shared in his book. It was great to spend the afternoon with him.” (photo above)
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
1964
Aussie friends to visit Ground Zero, on an exceptionally clear day.”
‘American Buffalo’ with Laurence Fishburne, Sam Rockwell, and Darren Criss.”
Dick Aronson shares: “Here (below) a picture of my first grandchild, Nina Aronson, born in Burlington, Vermont on August 17, 2018, to my son, Toby, and his wife, Caroline. This brings a lot of joy and helps me and my wife, Linda, to stay (somewhat) sane in this insane political climate. I continue to serve as the director of health professions advising at Amherst College (my own college alma mater), and delight in seeing the Riverdale students who go to Amherst. The hope for the future lies with the new generations.”
Peter Loeb (Robert H. Loeb III) sent in a photo (above) with this description: “I was fishing the Kanektok River in wilderness Alaska and catching about a 35-lb king salmon, one of the 136 I caught that week. I fish every year (since 1987) with the same outfitter and would welcome the company of anybody from my class, male or female. Stay well and happy, Peter Loeb (aka at Riverdale as ‘Ape Man’).”
1981 Elizabeth A. Holoubek-Sebok eholoubek@aol.com Lisa Burge Swotes lswotes@gmail.com 1982 Meryl I. Poster meryl.poster@ superbentertainment.net 1983 Eric M. Yamin eric.yamin@ubs.com 1984 Eve Reppen Rogers evejewels@icloud.com 1985 Allison J. Unger Brody a.brody@elsevier.com 1986 Sanford E. Cannold sandy.cannold@gmail.com 1987 Become a Class Correspondent*
After a full day on campus celebrating Homecoming and Reunion, classmates ended the day gathering at the campus dinner to celebrate their 55th Reunion (photo above).
1965 Save the Date: 55th Reunion October 17, 2020 Melissa Gordon and Gail Hart write: “Hello to all of our classmates. We are so happy to be able to share a lot of news this time around and we hope that all of you will be able to join us at our 55th reunion coming up in the fall of 2020!” Rachel Hadas had a poem in the November 11, 2019 New Yorker with the same title as her forthcoming collection of poetry, Love and Dread, out in May 2020. Additionally, Rachel will be teaching two poetry workshops on the sonnet—at the 92nd St. Y weekend workshop and the Hudson Valley Writers Center Leap Day workshop, The Lyric Leap. John Wohlstetter writes: “On August 12, I took a day cruise on the Nimitzclass aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt, CVN-71 (photo right). On Sept. 25 I took five
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Jeffrey Richards reports: “I just presented my 50th Broadway production, ‘The Sound Inside,’ starring MaryLouise Parker at Studio 54; this spring, I am producing ‘The Minutes’ by Tracy Letts and directed by Anna Shapiro (whose last collaboration was ‘August Osage County’) and David Mamet’s classic
Robert Flug notes: “I saw Janet and Calvin Hill as well as their son, Grant, and his wife, Tamia, when Janet was honored as a hall of fame director of The Carlyle Group. She was honored by the NACD. My wife and I had lunch with Jerry Williams ’64 and his wife, Conchita, and Skip Wade ’64 when they were in for a reunion. I also got together at a board meeting at Mt. Sinai Hospital with Don Richenthal. It was great seeing him and Maddie. And we have a grandson!! Hope things are great with all of you.” Bob Rosenheck writes this about classmate, Peter Simon who died last year: “I was editor of the Riverdalian with Dave Bloomgarden ’64. We were blessed to have
had Peter as our editor of photography. He was THE major contributor to the yearbook for our year (far more than anything I recall doing) and was a great artist who documented our quips and foibles. We were very lucky to have had him. Peter made a huge mark on our class and on the world of photography. He is much missed, although his studio continues on.” John Wohlstetter adds: “Pete was, as surely you remember, a rabid baseball fan (as I was then). So, when Shea Stadium opened in 1964, Peter and I went there right upon school letting out for the summer. A couple weeks later, it was Father’s Day weekend. Peter called me Saturday and invited me to join him Sunday at Shea. But Confucian filial piety won the day. I went out to the country club with my dad; he played golf while I took lessons. Upon arriving home that evening I discovered that Philadelphia pitcher Jim Bunning picked that day to hurl the first perfect game in the National League since 1884! I never again felt the same about Confucius!” Victor Chao recounts his friendship with Peter as well: “The first year I came to Riverdale, I found a bunch of camera buffs, including Peter. Bill Theodore and John Siffert stand out in my mind, but I know there were several others. We formed a sort of photography club and at some point Peter started a newsletter. He was editor-in-chief and, when I grew frustrated with the
bad writing, I became copy editor. Even back then, his photography was awesome and I recognized I could never be that good. His path seemed clear and I would never rise above dabbling, but we got along great.”
Our friend Barbara Hurewitz Aronson lives in Israel now, but sent in a photo (above) with her wonderful grandchildren. Barbara looks just the same as she did in high school! Maddie Bertino Graham writes: “I caught up with Sue Kaffenburgh this past August when my husband and I vacationed in Cape Cod (photo below). Do we look the same as we did in 1965? I think not! But we did reminisce about the ’65 Senior Class musical that we wrote and directed. We found out that we both still have the script for it. Really???? Hope all is well with you! Looking forward to our 55th.”
game in South Bend, Indiana. Fred and his wife graduated from USC in 1969 and their two daughters also attended USC while he was serving as the associate athletic director there, following a similar job at UCLA. Fred now enjoys retirement on a golf course in Rancho Mirage, CA, and looks forward to spending time with his four grandchildren. He sees Jeff Richards every time he visits NYC for theater.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 1988 Stacy J. Grossman stacyjgrossman@gmail.com 1989 Allison R. Rouse allison.rouse@gmail.com 1990 Jeffrey L. Korenman jkorenman@hotmail.com Achikam Yogev achikamyogev@gmail.com 1991 Stefanie Firtell Donath sadonath6873@gmail.com
Peg Katonah Lehman shares, “My husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on December 20.” (photo below)
1992 Laura J. Kleinman kleinmanlaura@yahoo.com
1968 Karen Gantz writes: “I visited Mr. Romano who was
Fred Stroock sent in a note and photo. Here he is (right) with his wife, Bonnie, and his older daughter and her family at the USC-Notre Dame
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
conducting at the gala for the Perlman Music Center in Shelter Island in August 2019.”
1993 George D. Creppy gcreppy75@gmail.com
1969
Alexis Densen Higgins alexis.higgins@gmail.com 1994 Danielle J. Englebardt denglebardt@gmail.com 1995 Brittany Podell Levin bpodellco@gmail.com 1996 Lara Engelbardt Metz larametz@gmail.com Timothy F. Morehouse tim.morehouse08@gmail.com 1997 Jaime Benjamin Trichon jaimebenj@gmail.com 1998 Jessica Endelson Baum jessbaum@live.com
Nancy Duff-Boehm writes: “The Class of 1969 had a magical 50th reunion (photo below). We began in January with an email chain that snowballed to include participation by 43 out of the 85 of us still living. Through these reconnections we hatched ideas for events surrounding the reunion weekend. Thirty-seven of us contributed pages to the yearbook update, which the Alumni Office pulled together into a real keepsake. It is amazing how we have blossomed from the collection of buds that we were in 1969 into a full, thriving bouquet of myriad textures, shapes, and hues, gorgeous from any perspective.
1999 Matthew C. Balaban MattBalaban1@gmail.com
“Thirty-six of us showed up for at least some of the weekend, three having to cancel at the last minute. Two came from Europe, three from California, others from all over the Eastern seaboard and the Midwest. Many of us brought our spouses. “We began on Friday afternoon with a moving Shabbat Service at Central Synagogue, and walked
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over to Bob Drake’s lovely apartment nearby. He and his wife, Renee, hosted a warm welcome reception for us, where we continued the conversations we had begun by email. Saturday was packed with events arranged by the Alumni Office, culminating with an award for our class for our enthusiasm, delivered by Head of School Dominic Randolph. Lunch, tours, games, and discussions ensued until we gathered in the dining room for our banquet. And there, the lively sharing of experiences and dreams continued. “Sunday morning many of us gathered again, this time at the Riverdale Yacht Club, for brunch, graciously hosted by Kathy Valyi. In a bit smaller group, we shared memories, stories, and confidences, and caught up some more on who we had all become. “More than once, I heard expressed the feeling that the kinship and affection we feel for our Riverdale classmates is special and unusual in our lives. We are forever grateful to our alma mater for providing the firm ground from which we launched, joyful to return to reconnect every five years (or sooner, in between).”
1970 Save the Date: 50th Reunion October 17, 2020 Bob Kahn reports, “I have started to get calls about our upcoming 50th class reunion next fall. The excitement is starting to build. More details
to follow. Looking forward to a big turnout.”
1972
Writer and poet, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, daughter of deceased classmate Clyde Gumbs, stopped by Riverdale’s Hill Campus in October 2019 (photo above).
1973 Lonnie Ramati writes: “Just wanted you to know Angel Has Fallen came out in August 2019, of which I am co-executive producer and production business affairs. Hope you see it. It has a 93% audience review out of a total of 100%—very high.”
1974
The Class of ’74 kicked off their 45th Reunion celebration with a party hosted by classmate Alison Carlson. A fun evening was had by all. The festivities continued the next day when classmates returned to campus to take part in all the Homecoming events and Reunion dinner that evening (photo above).
1975 Save the Date: 65th Reunion October 17, 2020
1977 From Fran Hoffinger: “With a heavy heart, I report the sudden and tragic death of our friend and classmate Erica Lindenbaum Tishman on December 17, 2019. Erica was an architect, mother of three children (all RCS graduates), grandmother of one; and a fearless fundraiser and advocate for RCS, Central Synagogue, and the Educational Alliance, among other organizations. She left behind her mother [Linda Lewis Lindenbaum ’54]; husband, Steven Tishman; her three children and their significant others; a grandson; sister [Laurie Lindenbaum ’81]; brother-in-law; nieces; nephews; and scores of bereft family members and friends.” (see p. 39 for an expanded memorial.)
Alison Pavia writes: “In case any classmates find themselves in Cambodia, I am the executive director of the Harpswell Foundation, which works to develop young women leaders in Southeast Asia (photo above). I spend about six weeks a year in Phnom Penh and Penang. We have two dorms in Phnom Penh for exceptional university women from
rural villages — and all RCS friends are welcome to visit if they find themselves in the region!” Michael Cohen is also embarking on a new professional adventure. He is now president of the tri-state region at Colliers International and Chairman of the board of the Flatiron Partnership. David Rhodes (aka David Rosenbaum) had quite a year, terrorizing Times Square as Browning in the feature film Rapid Eye Movement, costarring opposite Francois Arnaud (The Borgias/Midnight Texas). If you missed the suspense thriller in theaters last summer it’s currently available on most VOD platforms, On Demand, Amazon Prime, ITunes, Vudu, Redbox, and others. His new solo show “Rhodes Less Traveled,” a compilation of memoirs and popular music, is making the rounds on the cabaret circuit and ready for touring in 2021. David says he’s grateful to Joan Wibell and Riverdale Country School for supporting and fostering his artistic aspirations and thrilled to still be doing what he loves best (photo below)!
Keith Krakaur is finally returning to New York after spending four years in London. He is retiring from Skadden Arps where he has been a partner and the head of the firm’s European Government Enforcement and White-Collar Crime Group. Keith asks: “How did we get from eighth grade to here?”
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
Seth Haberman has entered the world of empty nesters, like some of the rest of us. Seth writes: “For the first time since 1993, there are no kids at home. One married and working, two in college, and one in Israel for the year.”
Adam M. Brenner adam.brenner@gmail.com
Steven Friedlander sends greetings from Knoxville, Tennessee: “After more than 30 years in the South (more than half my life!), I continue to work as one of the few Brooklyn-born, Bronx-raised, private school–educated, semi-intellectual, liberal Jewish editors and writers in Knoxville, Tennessee. Among other things, I teach the Magazine Industry Workshop in the School of Journalism and Electronic Media to juniors and seniors at the University of Tennessee. I am just finishing a major rewrite and edit for Lionheart, a soon-to-be published book by former American Idol contestant David Francisco. Last year, I was the editor and primary writer for 100 Ways to Live to 100, a special issue produced by Athlon Media Group (publishers of Parade). (I took this gig so that I can attend our reunion in 2047!) If anyone is ever in Knoxville (or even Nashville…only three hours away)—give us a call!!!”
2002 Samara Gee Fetto samara.fetto@gmail.com
2000 Lana Jacobs Edelman lanarose@gmail.com 2001 Samantha A. Acunto ac.samantha@gmail.com
Alex P. Horn alexp.horn@gmail.com David Rausnitz drausnitz@gmail.com
Benjamin Z. Koblentz bkoblentz@gmail.com 2003 Adam R. Heller adamheller1@gmail.com Ariel C. Schneider schneider.ariel@gmail.com
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 2004 Cristina E. Haley crissy.haley@gmail.com Brandon A. Cohen brandon.adam.cohen@gmail. com 2005 Daniel A. Perelstein dperelstein@gmail.com Amy R. Schneiderman amy.r.schneiderman@gmail.com 2006 Tracy Dansker tdansker@gmail.com
Fran writes, “As for me, I was so happy to see an RCS contingent at the launches of my daughter’s new book, Good Things Happen to People You Hate in October 2019, including Susan Freyberg Wolfert, who traveled to the Brooklyn event; former West Side Riverdale Express Bus buddies Cassandra McGowen and Valerie Aubry, who attended the Manhattan event, and Peter Feld ’76 who spent much of the evening opening champagne bottles as we celebrated. Special thanks also to anyone from our class who purchased copies of the book.”
1979
Jordan Marin jordan.marin@live.com Eric B. Nusbaum ericbnusbaum@gmail.com 2007 Kate M. Lehrhaupt kate.lehrhaupt@gmail.com 2008 Michael Roberts roberts.r.michael@gmail.com Andrew J. Taub andrew.james.taub@gmail.com Zoe S. Zetlin zzetlin@gmail.com
Patty Greene Isen and Lori Tarnopol Moore graciously hosted a Reunion party (photo above) for the class on Friday, October 18, 2019. The well-attended event was a wonderful opportunity for classmates to reconnect and reminisce with one another.
1980 Save the Date: 40th Reunion October 17, 2020 First from Alex Weindling: “I’ve grown increasingly sentimental about RCS as I’ve aged. I’ve attached the only family pic I have (right), from three years ago. My eldest, Matthew, is a freshman at
35 QUAD/Spring 2020
Colby and loving it. Andrew is in 10th grade and hating it. He is 5’10” with size 12 feet and likes to pat me on the head at least once a day. My wife’s father is 6’8” and that DNA clearly found my son. My 12-year-old, Claire, is in 7th grade and already a woman to be reckoned with!
“I’ve started my 6th business and know it will not be my last. I am fortunate contemporary society—and particularly commerce— believes being disruptive is a good thing. I haven’t taken math since Mrs. Rosenberg threw me out of class in the 10th grade for ‘being disruptive.’ Yesterday’s poison is today’s wine... “I moved out of the city 15 years ago and live and play on the Long Island Sound. I’m in the city three times a week as my offices are in Tribeca; most of my team is under 30 and that crowd gets a nosebleed above 14th street! “I had a gloriously long lunch with David Arcara quarterly and am an LP in his fund. He’s a wonderful soul, and I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with him. Skiing and guitars remain his passions, and he’s the same level and calm presence he was at RCS. “I had a few lunches with Tony Asnes a year or two back. He seems to be thriving
commercially and still retains that inherent leadership and confidence that made him the natural captain of the swim team. “Lastly, a middle-aged stranger stopped me in our local coffee shop in Old Greenwich. He said he knew me but didn’t know how. When I introduced myself he said he recognized my name. When he introduced himself as Desmond Ward ’87, I knew he was Joe’s little brother. I don’t think Desmond was 10 when Joe went off to Harvard. I filled about an hour telling about the brother he never really knew. Joe had been my best friend in the fourth grade, when the whole class was 17 boys. We had reconnected at Harvard Summer School in his last summer alive. Summer school was better than getting a summer job and both our parents had been willing to foot the bill, but we were both there primarily to have fun and chase girls. Joe was the first of the 17 boys we buried and it was a life-changing event for me. Please email Dana for Desmond’s email in case anyone wants to surprise him with a story about his brother. I know it would have great meaning for him. “Sorry to take forty years to send a single scrap of news. Like I said, I have only recently grown sentimental and perhaps the slightest bit less disruptive.” Peter Doyle writes: “Beth Polikoff and I are going on twenty-eight years of marriage, and we have had
two girls graduate from RCS, Kylee ’11 and Sarah ’14. In addition, I was the wrestling coach at Riverdale for eight years, and for the last eight years, I have been the coach of the varsity girls’ golf team which started when Kylee was a senior. “I talk to Adam Klein, Ralph Cohn, David Booker, and a few other RCS alums. I hope all is well with you and look forward to seeing everyone for our 40th.” Niki Vorhaus Thran, aka Dr. A. Nicole Thran, notes: “I have had a wonderfully busy year. Along with continuing to work in the ED full time, I was named head of the department last year. I continue to serve as medical director to three district ambulance services. I continue to serve on several smaller committees, but I have taken on some new and exciting volunteer positions: I am past chairwoman of the Gifford Energy Committee, which I established with a coworker three years ago. I was elected to a three-year term as vice chairwoman of the Town of Hartford Energy Commission. I was a sponsor and committee member of Women Making a Difference this fall, which celebrated local women who have made significant contributions to my community. I was elected chairwoman of the Hartford (VT) Democratic Committee and Vice Chair of the Windsor County Democratic Committee. I was elected Secretary/Treasurer of the Vermont Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
I represented Vermont at ACEP’s national council meeting, which determines national and global emergency medicine policy. I am also serving on a national ACEP’s National/ Chapter Relations Committee. “I am thinking of running for public office in a few years. First, I have to take my emergency medicine boards every decade. My third time!! Hard for me to believe that I have been doing emergency medicine for thirty years. If anyone is ever in Vermont, please visit!!”
meditate. Would love to spend more time with RCSers in person, though Facebook is fun! Looking forward to the next RCS reunion, formal or informal!” Dana Swinsky Cantelmo ends with: “Patience and I (photo below) went to see David Yazbek ’78 who was amazing!!!! Great memories of the talents of Moon Pudding with Sean Altman ’79. As Sean put it ‘we’re all middle aged, and Moon Pudding is timeless.’”
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020. 2009 Josh A. Howard jh1003@gmail.com Joshua S. Pearl josh@joshpearl.com Elizabeth G. Phillips egphilli@gmail.com Ashley M. Rainford ashley.rainford@gmail.com Alyssa J. Smith alyssajaclyn@gmail.com Danielle Suchman Sheptin Danielle.suchman@gmail.com Daisy H. Hackett hackett.daisy@gmail.com
Patience Moore lives in Montclair, NJ, with one son who is rowing crew and is a visual artist; the other son is a freshman at GW Elliot School of International Relations with a gift for Mandarin (photo above). She shares, ”I have a private practice as an LCSW (therapist) treating children, teens, and adults with concentrations in transgender and gendervariant children and teens; and people and loved ones in recovery. I am excitedly studying EMDR to deepen the healing with my clients. I also give workshops in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and parenting. In my free time, I hang with my sons, swim, bike, go to movies and theater, read awesome books, study my crafts, sing, and
2010 Alexandra E. Kokot alikokot@gmail.com “It continues to be great hearing from all of you, please keep writing, and of course if you have email addresses of classmates that I don’t, please send them to me! See you next year, apparently!”
Ethan Gracer edagracer@gmail.com Allyson Peltz allyson.peltz@gmail.com
1981
J Brooke and Andy Meyers (photo above) found themselves near the old stomping ground last spring, passing campus while
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Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
participating in an April 2019 charity walk for the Riverdale Mental Health Association.
2011 Laura E. Berman laura.e.berman@gmail.com
1982
2012 Chloe S. Getrajdman cgetrajdman@gmail.com Jay B. Dessy jbdessy@gmail.com 2013 George S. Niedermayer niedermayergeorge19@gmail.com Khari A. Dawkins khari.dawkins@gmail.com 2014 Travis R. Brady travis.brady@Yale.edu Saranya Vijayakumar saranyav196@gmail.com 2015 Corey A. Morrison dactadeo@gmail.com Robert J. Proner robertproner@gmail.com
Chisa Hidaka reports: “I’m doing well, living in NYC (East 60th Street) with my soulmate, Ben Harley. We’ve been working together on the Dolphin Dance Project for 10 years, and are continuing to make films and forge relationships with individual wild dolphins through underwater dance. We love giving talks about our work (including screenings of our short films) at universities— so if any of our classmates teach or have children at universities with interesting interdisciplinary (or Animal Studies) programs, please consider inviting us! “For the last 12 years, I’ve also taught Anatomy in the Dance Department at Barnard College (my alma mater, after RCS). I’m also doing part-time research in orthopedics at the Hospital for Special Surgery.” Yasmin Khakoo writes: “I was accepted to the American Academy of Neurology Women Leading in Neurology Program for 2019-20, a one-year program designed to provide me with mentorship to help revamp the child neurology program I lead at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center MSK Kids. And we just adopted a nine-year-old dog (Yorkie/ Shih Tzu mix) named Benny.”
1984 A fun day was had by all
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who came back to campus for their 35th Reunion and attended Homecoming (photo below).
The Class of ’89 (photo below) had a wonderful time reconnecting at their 30th Reunion. The festivities included a day on campus celebrating Homecoming followed by a Reunion party that evening hosted by Jennifer Smith Lipschultz at the Upper East Side Mexican eatery, Toloache.
1985 Save the Date: 35th Reunion October 17, 2020
1988 Mary Purdy gave a 5-minute TED Talk-like Presentation at Ignite Seattle in fall 2019 called “Saving the Planet with your Fork.”
1989 After serving as Acting General Counsel of the Department of Defense for nearly a year under thenSecretary Jim Mattis, Defense Secretary Mark Esper has awarded Bill Castle with the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service. The Medal is the highest honor the Department can confer on a non-career federal employee and has previously been awarded to three Presidents. The accompanying citation reads, in part, “Mr. William S. Castle is recognized for distinguished public service as Principal Deputy General Counsel…[and] was critical to successful outcomes in the most sensitive classified operational and intelligence matters of the Department.”
1990 Save the Date: 30th Reunion October 17, 2020 Al Burger is happy to report that he completed his Master of Science Degree in Health Care Delivery Leadership at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “I was also named the Excellence in Health Care Leadership Award recipient.”
1991 Heidi Cotton is going into her eighth year as a Luxury Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Beverly Hills. She sells homes all over LA and lives in Beverly Hills. This year she had the great pleasure of visiting Nikki Brandon Harris in Las Vegas, dinners in Beverly Hills with Cipora Sternlicht Herman, NY visits with Stefanie Firtell Donath, mediocre theatre and great food with Daniel Holzman (NY), ice cream in LA with Abby Russell, and (an especially lovely surprise)
bumping into Danielle Queller and her niece near Target at the Beverly Connection. Additionally, she and Brooke Olstein Scharfstein recently spent Brooke’s entire commute from the city to Westport figuring everything out on the phone. They almost split the atom...almost.
1994
1999
A family-filled, fun day on campus was a great way to kick off the 20th Reunion festivities on Saturday, October 19, 2019 (photo above). The party continued that evening when the class reconvened at Speakeasy at the Gin Mill in Manhattan.
Samantha Glazer, for a minireunion dinner in New York City.
Please send your news to your Class Correspondent by August 1, 2020.
2004
2016 Christian Eggers cde2117@columbia.edu
The Class of ’04 (photo below) gathered on Friday, October 18, 2019, for a kickoff Reunion celebration. The following day, the class returned to campus for a full day of Homecoming festivities and to reconnect with old friends and faculty.
Save the Date: 25th Reunion October 17, 2020
2005 Save the Date: 15th Reunion October 17, 2020
2006 Jenna Langel Witten, Tracy Dansker Sacks, and Rachel Pauker Fryd recently got together with their children, Julia Witten, Teddy Sacks, and Morgan Fryd (photo below).
1996 Caron Levis has written two new children’s books, Mama’s Work Shoes, which came out in September 2019, and This Way, Charlie, which is due out this month. See p.20 for more details.
Phil Michael and Gui Stampur (photo above) attended Riverdale’s book discussion with Dan Abrams ’84 on Monday, December 2nd at the Harvard Club. See the Recap on p.22 for more details. In addition, Phil and Gui recently got together with a few other members of the class, including Lana Jacobs Edelman, Jordana Waxman Yellin, David Politis, and
Luis Perez lperezteak14@gmail.com
2018 Jackson Harris jaxonlego@gmail.com
Save the Date: 20th Reunion October 17, 2020
1995
2017 Ava Levinson ava.levinson@gmail.com
Zoe Schwartzman schwartzmanzoe@gmail.com
2000 The Class of ’94 (photo above) celebrated their milestone 25th Reunion on Saturday, October 19, 2019. A full day on campus (photo above) included a class lunch, and other Homecoming events. In the evening, the class continued the celebration at the midtown Moxy Hotel. The day brought lots of laughter, reminiscing, and reconnecting.
Jake Fallek jakefallek@gmail.com
Alex Karr ajkarr1@gmail.com 2019 Michael Maffezzoli mmaffezzoli01@gmail.com Jason Steiger jasonsteiger18@gmail.com *To become a Class Correspondent, contact Robin Gottlieb at rgottlieb@riverdale.edu or 718-519-2703.
2009 Tyler Faux was named one of Forbes 30 Over 30 as co-founder of Supergreat, a beauty review app that allows anyone to view or
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Remembering Erica Lindenbaum Tishman ’77 Former Riverdale trustee, parent, alumna, and friend, Erica Lindenbaum Tishman ’77, passed tragically on Tuesday, December 17, 2019. She was 60 years old. Erica is survived by her husband, Steven; children, Adam ’05, Stuart ’07, and Julia ’11; mother, Linda Lewis Lindenbaum ’54; sister and brother-in-law, Laurie Lindenbaum ’81 and Robert Horne; and nieces and nephews, Sarah ’15, Max ’19, and Rachel ’20. Following her graduation from Riverdale, Erica earned degrees from Princeton University (BA, 1981) and Harvard Graduate School of Design (MArch). Erica was vice president of Zubatkin Owner Representation LLC, with more than thirty years of experience in architectural design, construction, and project management. She served as chair of the board for The Educational Alliance and as a trustee of Central Synagogue in Manhattan. During and following her tenure as a Riverdale trustee, Erica served as an integral member of the facilities committee, assisting in the creation and implementation of two master plans and according facilities efforts, most recently the construction of the Upper Learning Building on the River Campus and the Aquatic Center on the Hill Campus. Erica’s friendship and wise counsel will be deeply missed.
create reviews for thousands of makeup, hair, and skin products. Fans also create videos in exchange for “supercoins,” a digital currency that can be used to purchase products from participating brands. In March 2019, the company raised $2.5 million in funding, and now has a network of more than 60,000 beauty fans. Before starting Supergreat, Tyler studied computer science at Harvard and helped build safety app Citizen and Tictail (now part of Shopify). The Class celebrated their 10th Reunion at Sweetwater Social in Manhattan (photo right). The next day, they came back to campus for Homecoming. A fun-filled day was had by all.
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blankets. Earth Blankets work by applying soothing pressure across the entire body to calm the nervous system. Our mission is to provide a self-regulation tool that helps people cope with daily challenges such as stress, anxiety, or insomnia while holding high standards in our ecological manufacturing.”
2010 Save the Date: 10th Reunion October 17, 2020
2012 Sita (Kiara) Santos writes: “I have recently launched a company named Earth Blankets (earthblankets.com) that produces eco-friendly weighted
2014
The Class celebrated their fifth Reunion with a party in Manhattan (photo on p.39). The fun continued the next day when members of the class returned to campus to visit with old friends and former faculty members as well as to take in a few athletic games and events during the Homecoming festivities.
2015 Save the Date: 5th Reunion October 17, 2020 Joshua Rothstein writes: “Up All Night Music Group is my new concert promotion company. After promoting and booking concerts at Hamilton College and touring with country superstar Luke Bryan and platinumcertified artist MAX, I am excited to be promoting concerts and events in New York City. The first show was on February 9 at The Bowery Electric with fellow class members Penelope Edmonds and Conrad de Menil on the bill.” Congratulations are in order for Michael Gardner, who was named to the All-Decade Team at Johns Hopkins.
IN MEMORIAM James Dunlop ’38 Peter Simmons ’38 Jacques Kreisler ’42 Werner Kramarsky ’43 Joan Hersey Carr Shimer ’45 Nicole Papazian McGuire ’45 Elizabeth Eidlitz ’46 Renee Stoetzner Fuller ’47 Joan Buckner Martin ’47 Fred Precht ’47 Elliot Ryder ’47 Stephen Saxe ’47 Lewis Gordon ’48 Michael Mott ’48
Victor Noerdlinger ’48 Cynthia Orloff Bredikin ’49 Ruth Carey ’49 Kenneth Heyman ’49 Francis Low ’49 Diane Kirkbright Larson ’52 Richard Kaeyer ’53 Uriel Nauenberg ’55 Raymond Max Goldmuntz ’57 Steven Kaplan ’58 Peter Dickson ’60 Peter Simon ’65 Michael Strone ’70 Erica Lindenbaum Tishman ’77
THE PUZZLE
Solution
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Board of Trustees 2019-2020 Gwen Adolph Terri Austin, Secretary Bruce Beal, Jr. Ellen Nachtigall Biben ’83 David Blitzer, Treasurer Tory Burch Edem Dzubey ’07 Karen Elizaga, PA President Sandra Kim Hoffen ’83 Mark Hostetter ’77 Christopher James ’93 John Kao ’68 Michael A. Karsch Kass Lazerow Gary Lieberman Marc S. Lipschultz Susan Moldow ’63 Thomas Montag
Anand More John A. Neuwirth Dominic A.A. Randolph, Head of School David Rhodes Daniel J. Rosen ’92, Vice Chair Jessica Elghanayan Shell ’95, AAEC President Jamie Alexander Tisch Philip “Tod” Waterman III ’84 David Westin, Chair Vanessa Wittman Kazumi Yanai
TRUSTEES EMERITI Michele R. Cohen Thomas C. Israel Brad S. Karp Jane Lisman Katz ’65 Peter M. Lehrer Linda Lewis Lindenbaum ’54 William C.W. Mow ’55 David N. Roberts ’80 Harvey Schulweis Robert A. Staub ’52 Thomas W. Strauss Jeffrey N. Vinik ’77 Eugene “Tim” Zagat, Jr. ’57 Ada G. Zambetti Richard S. Zinman
Alumni Association Executive Committee 2019-2020 Samantha Acunto ’01 George Anagnos ’76 Harrie Bakst ’03 Jessica Endelson Baum ’98 Liz Strauss Clyman ’97 Stefanie Firtell Donath ’91 Edem Dzubey ’07 Lana Jacobs Edelman ’00 Tara Pfeifer Englander ’93 Danielle J. Englebardt ’94 Betsy Fields ’86 Joseph Goldschmid ’04 Paul Goldschmid ’96 Susan Golkin ’85 Maggie Heller Greebel ’99 Michelle Kirschtein Jacobs ’81 David F. Lahm ’58 Tiffany Austin Liston ’94, Vice President
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Deborah Yamin Manocchia ’87 Anthony Melchior ’73 Lara Englebardt Metz ’96 Philip R. Michael ’00 Shary Moalemzadeh ’89 Omari Ramirez ’05 Amelia Levin Relles ’87 Michael Roberts ’08 Carolyn Braun Rosen ’92 Daniel D. Rosen ’92 Peter R. Rosenblatt ’50 Jessica Elghanayan Shell ’95, President Roger Sherman ’74 Andrine Wilson ’02 Jenna Langel Witten ’06 Ahmed Yearwood ’91
There are easy ways to make a difference at Riverdale!
By including a provision for Riverdale Country School in your will or other estate plans, you can make an impact on Riverdale students for generations to come. Our Hackett Society members help ensure that Riverdale can continue to give our students opportunities to develop independence, create their own paths to purpose, and become agents of change in an ever-changing world.
For More Information Robin Gottlieb Director of Alumni Affairs & Institutional Engagement 718-519-2703 rgottlieb@riverdale.edu QUAD/Spring 2020
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Riverdale Country School 5250 Fieldston Road Bronx, New York 10471-2999 www.riverdale.edu
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