13 minute read
Class Notes
John Dann ’62 and Andy Wyeth ’66.
Judith Prest ’69 published a new poetry collection Geography of Loss in July 2021.
CLASS OF 1952
Fred Pardee has served as president of the Princeton Club of Sarasota and Manatee Counties for the past eight years. In May, the club was selected to receive the 2022 Alumni Council’s Princeton Club of San Antonio Award, which recognizes the regional association with the best overall performance for a small to midsize association. The Alumni Council applauded the club’s efforts to provide frequent, accessible, and meaningful engagement opportunities to its membership.
CLASS OF 1962
John Dann shares that he and Andy Wyeth ’66, “history enthusiasts, collectors, and friends of more than 60 years,” attended the Ephemera Show in Greenwich, Conn., on March 20.
CLASS OF 1966
Andy Wyeth (see Class of 1962).
CLASS OF 1969
Judith Prest writes: “I graduated (back in the age of dinosaurs) in 1969. Worked as a school social worker for 26 years, retired in 2009, worked leading expressive arts and recovery writing groups with adults in addiction treatment at New Choices Recovery Center in Schenectady, NY until I got sidelined by the pandemic and decided I was old enough to really retire. Have been writing poems and making art for many decades, and finally have had some success getting work published by someone other than myself. My newest poetry collection, Geography of Loss, was released in July 2021 by Finishing Line Press. And even though I am not employed anywhere regularly now, I have been working as a poetry partner with Institute for Poetic Medicine (IPM).” Judith facilitated a six-week Zoom poetry circle for IPM in February and March, titled “Poetry as Compass: Navigating the Wilderness of Grief and Loss.”
CLASS OF 1974
Erik Gunn, of Madison, Wisconsin, has been promoted to Deputy Editor at the Wisconsin Examiner, effective February 1, 2022. He joined the Examiner when it was launched in July 2019. It is part of States Newsroom, a growing non-profit news organization based in North Carolina and Washington, D.C., that was established to revitalize coverage of state government, statewide issues, and their impact on people’s everyday lives. Before joining the Wisconsin Examiner, Erik spent 24 years as a full-time freelance magazine writer. He previously worked for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for 9 years and at newspapers in Rochester, New York, and Rockford, Illinois.
CLASS OF 1977
Scott Sanders is the author of three published books: The House of Remember When, The Box Salesman, and Call Me Cecilia. He is in the process of publishing two more books, Driving Through Shaker Heights and The Screwball Effect. He writes that the latter is about a boy who attends a Quaker school in the 1970’s and “might be a little autobiographical.” Scott recalls: “My mentor was Ambrose Short (my 9th grade English teacher) along with Sally Longstreth (my 7th grade teacher), Fred Royal (my 10th grade teacher) and Bix Bush (my 8th grade teacher). Mr. Short became a very close friend of mine and I even used to cut the lawn at his home down the street from me. After doing a pathetic job cutting the grass, I would even have tea with “Shorty” and his brother. Those were treasured conversations, but sadly he actually passed away while I was attending Friends. Mr. Short used to tell me to “just keep writing” and that is what I have done. I have shared my books with a few alumni (Andy Atkins has been a great supporter and Lisa Townsend-Raber has helped me edit my manuscripts). My third book includes references to a school that was a lot like Friends School. I also wrote a screenplay years ago called “The Manner of Friends” which centered on Bob Tattersall and
Scott Sanders ’77 is the author of three books.
Linda Holmes ’89 published a new novel, Flying Solo, in June.
Matt Meyer ’90 hosted Dan Pfeiffer ’94 at Faire Cafe, discussing Dan’s career and his new book.
Ellie Kelsey ’09 is heading to Emory University’s P.A. program.
Sam Finkelman ’10 helps a Ukrainian refugee in Budapest, Hungary. Kelly McGeehan ’08, Morgan Dorsey ’08, and Amy Tryon ’08 (center) and Sara Geoghegan ’08 (far right).
the undefeated football teams of the seventies. (Sadly, that script was lost years ago during a move.) I was lucky enough to be on two of those undefeated teams and even had Mr. “T” send me films from those years that I copied and still watch occasionally. By the way, you can even find a YouTube video of the St. Andrew’s game in 1974 online. Amazing that it survived and is still there today.”
CLASS OF 1981
Crystal Nix Hines was named to the California Daily Journal’s 2021 “Top Women Lawyers” list, an annual recognition highlighting California women lawyers at the top of their practice. She is a partner in the Los Angeles office of Quinn Emanuel, where she is co-chair of the firm’s Crisis Law & Strategy Group, which helps clients with crisis management and resolution. She also Chairs the firm’s Education Practice Group.
CLASS OF 1989
Linda Holmes has written a new novel, Flying Solo, which BookPage named one of the most anticipated fiction books of 2022. Linda is a pop culture correspondent for NPR and one of the hosts of the popular podcast Pop Culture Happy Hour. Her debut novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, was published in 2019 and became a New York Times bestseller.
CLASS OF 1990
New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer hosted fellow WFS alum Dan Pfeiffer ’94, author and co-host of Pod Save America, at the new Faire Cafe on 9th street in downtown Wilmington where they had a good conversation about insights from Dan’s career and his new book.
CLASS OF 1994
Dan Pfieffer (see Class of 1990).
CLASS OF 2008
Morgan Dorsey married Patrick Genau on June 3 at the Curtis Arboretum in Wyncote, PA. WFS alums Kelly McGeehan and Amy Tryon were comaids of honor and Sara Geoghegan was a bridesmaid. All of their parents were in attendance including Lesley Tryon ’71 and Dave Geoghegan ’75 and Sue Geoghegan. Pooja Yadav also traveled from New York to be in attendance.
CLASS OF 2009
Mary Blumenfeld graduated from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in May. She is now a first-year pediatrics resident (along with Grayton Downing ’14) at Nemours Children’s Hospital.
Ellie Kelsey graduated from the University of Delaware with dual bachelor’s degrees in health behavior science and dietetics. She then moved to Washington, D.C. where she has worked as a Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (RD, CNSC) with Medstar Washington Hospital Center for nearly six years. The devastating impact of the COVID19 pandemic inspired Ellie to pursue a career that would allow her to have a more direct impact on the lives of her patients and Ellie will be moving to Atlanta this summer to attend Emory University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program.
CLASS OF 2010
Sam Finkelman was featured in an article in Penn Today, highlighting his work supporting Ukrainian refugees and those still in the country. Finkelman, a Ph.D. candidate in History at the University of Pennsylvania, was in the middle of a yearlong research trip to Russia, Hungary, and Ukraine when the war broke out. He and a group of friends responded by helping transport refugees, which soon evolved into collecting and delivering medical supplies to Ukrainian hospitals and the founding of a non-profit organization.
CLASS OF 2011
Mara Freilich will be starting a job as an assistant professor of applied math and earth, environmental, and planetary sciences at Brown University in the summer of 2023. She writes: “In this job, I will continue my research on oceanography, ecology, climate science, and mathematical modeling and teach undergraduate and graduate students in those topics. This is particularly special because I graduated from Brown in 2015 with an Sc.B. in applied math, after encouragement from my math teachers at WFS to consider majoring in math!” She received her Ph.D. in physical oceanography from the MIT-Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program, and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Sabrina Lessner currently lives in Watertown, Massachusetts, and recently started a new job as a scientist with Sanborn, Head & Associates doing environmental and geotechnical consulting. Outside of work, she attends young adult Jewish events, was in two community bands, and enjoys going to Boston area events and shows.
Sandy LoFaro Miles writes: “This past year has been a big one for me. My husband Brian Miles and I got married on Martha’s Vineyard in June 2021, and we welcomed our son Cameron this March. Brian and I live in Baltimore and met doing volunteer work in our city. I have also finished my seventh year of teaching in Baltimore City Public Schools.”
Anna Melnick has graduated Summa Cum Laude from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University. She writes, “I will be a fourth generation Melnick physician following in the footsteps of my father, Dr. Paul Melnick, and his father and grandfather. My wife and I are moving up to the Bronx with our four cats, where I will start my residency in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.”
Matt Davis married Emily Quinn on May 21, 2022 in Annapolis, Maryland. Attending the wedding were the following WFS alums: Bob Davis ’83, Susie Tattersall Davis ’84, Julie Tattersall McGinnis ’82, Steve Cohen ’83, Sharon Mulrooney Flanagan ’84, John Aleman ’84, Tracy Porter Aleman ’87, Rob Tattersall ’91, James Baczkowski ’09, Brett Fallon, Calynd Johnson, Matt Skibicki, Louis Belson, Julian deOliveira ’12, Flavia Lopes ’12, Chessie Aleman ’12, Lindsay Aleman ’13, Jeff Davis ’13, Scott Davis ’15, Will Davis ’20, Robby Tattersall ’23, and Ryan Tattersall ’25.
CLASS OF 2012
Jamie Irwin is a staff member at Wilmington Sudbury School, a student-led, self-directed learning environment that allows children to explore their passions in a safe and respectful learning community. Under the WSS model, each student participates in governing the school democratically and has the opportunity to be a change agent in shaping the community they want for their school. Jamie writes, “As a staff member at WSS, I love working to back students to see themselves as the brilliant learners and leaders of their community that they are. I have the opportunity to work side by side with them in making decisions about school activities, school policies, judicial cases, and initiatives to support school culture. I also support students in planning and getting access to the resources they need for their learning goals. My hope is that in my work at WSS, I can help empower students and support them to appreciate themselves for who they are.”
Lauren Kelley married Bryan McDermott on July 1, 2022 in Monaghan, Ireland. WFS alums Flavia Lopes and Laurel Brown were co-maids of honor and Eric Kelley ’10 served as Bryan’s best man and Lauren’s parents, WFS Trustee Susan Kelley and Bernie Kelley, were in the wedding party.
Caroline McDonough married Matt Lankiewicz on June 25, 2022 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Attending the wedding were the following WFS classmates and alums: Elise Lankiewicz ’13, Virginia DeWees, Annie McDonough ’13, Emily Romano, Taylor Purcell, Porter Ergon, Courtney Lang, Sumner Crosby, Patrick Schlecker, Michael Armstrong,
Congratulations to these alums who “matched” with a residency medical program after graduating!
This May, both Mary Blumenfeld ’09 (right) and Grayton Downing ’14 (left) graduated from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in May. They are also both first-year pediatrics residents at Nemours Children’s Hospital.
Anna Melnick ’11 (pictured with her father, Dr. Paul Melnick), graduated from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Jefferson University and will do her residency in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore.
Kelsey Mellow ’10 graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine on May 23. Dr. Mellow will be doing her residency in Family Medicine at Beaumont Health in Michigan. Cameron, son of Sandy LoFaro Miles ’11; Daniel LoFaro ’02, Carl LoFaro ’01, Patty Haughton (former Lower School Assistant Principal and Learning Specialist), Brian Miles, Sandy LoFaro Miles ’11, Curtis LoFaro ’08, and Cara LoFaro ’04.
Bob Tattersall, Emily Quinn, Scott Cohen ’83, Bob Davis ’83 and Matt Davis; Brett Fallon ’11, Matt Skibicki ’11, Calynd Johnson ’11, Flavia Lopes ’12, Sharon Mulrooney Flanagan ’84, Julian deOliveira ’12, Louis Belson ’11, Scott Davis ’15, Julie Tattersall McGinnis ’82, Rob Tattersall ’91, Tracy Porter Aleman ’87, Will Davis ’20, James Baczkowski ’09, Bob Tattersall, Jeffrey Davis ’13, Susie Tattersall Davis ’84, Bob Davis ’83, Chessie Aleman ’12, John Aleman ’84, Ryan Tattersall ’25 , and Robby Tattersall ’23. (Missing from photo, Lindsay Aleman ’13).
CLASS OF 2014
Grayton Downing graduated from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University in May. She is now a first-year pediatrics resident (along with Mary Blumenfeld ’09) at Nemours Children’s Hospital.
CLASS OF 2018
Nate Ruhl has graduated from Haverford College, where he majored in Physics and minored in French, and played on the varsity men’s lacrosse team. He presented his research on autonomous space navigation at an American Astronautical Society conference in February, and published a paper in the conference’s proceedings. Nate is part of Haverford’s “4+1” accelerated Master’s program with the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
CLASS OF 2019
Michael McKenzie has been awarded a Lou Holtz Leadership Scholarship by the University of Notre Dame’s Division of Student Affairs, in recognition of his leadership in the area of student life. McKenzie, a rising senior majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in Chinese, received the scholarship for actively engaging in Notre Dame’s residential mission while participating in the Rome Global Gateway program. He is a member of Enable ND, which designs prostheses and assistive technologies for limb-different individuals free of charge. He is also a Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement Eagan Fellow, a member of the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges Scholars Program and the founder and president of B+ at Notre Dame, which raises awareness
Standing: Caroline Provine ‘12, Caroline Connolly’12, Josh Schwartz ‘12, Laurel Brown ‘12, Jennie Lowe ‘12, Lauren Kelley ‘12, Chazz Higginbotham’12, Flavia Lopes ‘12, Shane Loeffler ‘12, Calynd Johnson ‘11, Ernest Higginbotham’10, Elizabeth Connolly ‘09. Front row: Chip Connolly ‘79, Ken Aldridge, Gil Connolly ‘14 (Missing from photo, Eric Kelley ‘10).
and funding for childhood cancer. Elise Lankiewicz ’13, Virginia DeWees ’12, Annie McDonough ’13, Emily Romano ’12 (front), Taylor Purcell (front), Porter Ergon ’12, Courtney Lang ’12, Caroline McDonough ’12, Matt Lankiewicz ’12, Sumner Crosby ’12, Pat Schlecker ’12, Michael Armstrong ’12, Graham Grochowski ’12, Matt Lang ’08, Kristin Lang ’10, Julia Horwitz ’11, Mary Jane Lang ’81, and Thomas Lang ’81 (Photo credit: Zofia & Co. Photography).
