Class Columns: 1990s

1990

Stephanie Deigan
s_deigan@yahoo.com

President: Open
Fund Manager: T. Brendan Gilligan
Reunion Chair: Kimberly Ramstad Streamer
Web Page Administrator: Open

Ah, spring is in the air, always a welcome sign after a long, cold winter! I had the pleasure of spending some preholiday time with Kim Hart Hein, Jadine Marks-Finch, Jeanne McIntyre, Claudine Lilien Haugenes, and Maria Sigmond Warner in New York City, where we met for dinner, complete with several cocktails and lots of laughs.

Noelle Bastardi Anderson and her family were in New Jersey over the holidays; Kim Hart Hein and husband Steve graciously hosted us for a pre-New Year’s Eve get-together. It’s always fun to end the year with good friends.

Chris Blakelock’s comments from last time were seriously edited (sorry Bird Dog, not my call), but he is my new regular and is happy to report that his kids are back on the ‘good’ list—at least they were before the holidays! Chris and his wife hosted a New Year’s Eve party in Philly and were scheduled to see John and Eileen MacDonald Hazard, Harold “Butch” ’91 and Cindy Lamontanaro ’91 Ironson, and John Steinhouse ’89 for some cocktails and good times in the New Year.

Beth Altman Saunders reports she is making a serious go of working as an independent consultant. She works part-time as a CRM systems consultant and project manager with a focus on implementing Salesforce.com and related applications for nonprofit organizations. The other “part” of her time is being full-time mom to 2½-year-old daughter Carly.

Joanna Giddon Mandell, hubby David, and their two kids spent time in Aruba in December. They live in Boulder, Colo., and enjoy the laid back lifestyle that goes along with it. They even got a dog—it’s about time!

Andy Bazarian shared a plethora of news and writes that he and his family have lived in Hong Kong for two-and-a-half years. Andy works as a portfolio manager for SAC Capital. He, wife Laura MacAvoy Bazarian ’94, and their kids—Drew, 11, Ally, 10, and Christian, 6—enjoy life overseas and the travel that goes along with it. As of now, they are unsure when they will return to the U.S. Andy jokes that “the fact they serve beer at my son’s Saturday afternoon rugby doesn’t make me want to rush back to the ‘silent sidelines’ of Connecticut Youth Soccer anytime soon!” Glenn Lesko and family also live in Hong Kong—for the second time. Glenn is CEO of Instinet Asia. Despite Glenn’s insane travel schedule, he and Andy manage to see each other a lot. Glenn and Andy started the first youth lacrosse program in Hong Kong last year, Southside Lacrosse. They had 100 kids from grade school through middle school. Nice job, guys! Andy reports there are a few other Lafayette alums in Hong Kong. He saw Keith Pisani ’88, who lives in Shanghai. Bill Bush ’94 was due to move there in January. Trustee Angel Mendez ’82 hosted an alumni dinner in Hong Kong last fall with some of the young alumni; they were all native Chinese and all had great experiences at Lafayette. Andy writes: “It was great to hear that while Lafayette had changed, in many ways it hadn’t changed too much. I still try to follow what’s happening at the school and have been involved with fund-raising for the men’s lacrosse program. Last year, they had the best season in the history of the team. At one point, they were ranked 8th in nation in the Division I poll (ahead of John’s Hopkins). Incredible! A lot of lacrosse players and a lot of non-lacrosse-playing friends have supported the program. A big thank you to everyone who has contributed.” Thank you, Andy, for the scoop!

I also heard from Katie Lane Brenan who reports that she and husband Kevin live in Atlanta with their daughters, Maggie, 11, and Casey, 7. While up for the reunion, they extended their trip back to the Northeast for a couple of days. The past year has been a busy one, with some family trips to Williamsburg, Va., Florida, New York, New Jersey, and Hilton Head, S.C. “We love our annual family trip to Hilton Head to take a few weeks to hang out at the beach. We’ve got a new place to hang out, as we just purchased a vacation home in Hayesville, N.C. So come and visit; we’d love to see you!” In addition to traveling, Katie coached Maggie’s lacrosse team as well as continued her amazing fund-raising work for the American Heart Association and Sibley Heart Center at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Since her younger daughter was born in 2003 with congenital heart disease, Katie has worked to raise money for research and education for the condition. This year’s tennis tournament and 5K were great successes and contributed to the near $250,000 total that Katie has raised over the years. Awesome job, Kate!

In other news, via the PR newswire, I learned that Rich Limbacher joined Delta Point Inc. in November as a training specialist. Good luck to you in your new endeavor!

Wedding bells rang for Dr. Lia Kudless in October. She and her new husband, Ned Campbell, were married Oct. 17 in Jersey City, N.J. The newlyweds live in Brooklyn. All the best to you in your new life together!

Thanks for the great updates and keep the news coming.

1991

Susan Githens Cable
506 Jennifer Lane
Gibsonia, PA 15044
cable_susan@yahoo.com

President: Patrick J. Mazur
Fund Manager: Open
Reunion Chair: Catherine Moran Lippman

Hear ye! Hear ye! The 20th reunion for the Lafayette College Class of 1991 will be held June 10-12! By now, this probably isn’t news to any of you, but it IS a great reminder to register for reunion and come to campus in June. If you’re like me, it’s been a long time since you’ve strolled across the Quad or wandered through Marquis Hall. There have been many great additions to the campus since our time too. Bring the kids, give them a taste of dorm living, see how fabulous Lafayette looks now, and catch up with your old classmates. On to the news!

First, I apologize publicly for my error in the last column. I rewrote history and put Rich Guether and his SAE brothers in a different fraternity. Would you believe me if I said I was just trying to see if you were paying attention? Sorry, Rich. It’s corrected now in the Fall 2010 Class Notes online.

Piera Cote Robson sent all good news from the 2010 holidays. As you read this, she should have finished her final semester towards her MSN nurse practitioner degree. Piera shared that it’s been a long haul getting to this point.

Despite her school obligations, she was pleased that her family was able to travel to Culebra, Puerto Rico; Provence, France; and Salzburg, Austria. She reports that her daughter, Giovanna, is 6 and loves to sing. Second daughter, Aly, is 4 and the perfect combination of happy and impish.

Piera and her husband, Mark, will have been married for 20 years this summer. They were lucky to travel to three continents in the fall, as Mark spoke on his niche in oncology: genetic forms of breast cancer. Congratulations on finishing your degree, Piera!

I read an article about Kojiro Umezaki, who is a master of the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute. Umezaki composes music that marries his instrument’s melancholic breathiness to edgy electronic sounds. He is said to typify the global eclecticism of the Orange County, Calif., arts scene. On Feb. 10, Umezaki was to have performed his composition for shakuhachi and electronics, (Cycles) What Falls Must Rise, with Brooklyn Rider at Laguna Playhouse, as part of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County’s JapanOC Festival.

Having graduated from Lafayette and then from Dartmouth College with a graduate degree in electro-acoustic music, Umezaki is now in his third year as an assistant professor in University of California–Irvine’s music department’s integrated composition, technology, and improvisation group. The article reports that his career includes regular tours with Yo-Yo Ma’s renowned band of international artists, Silk Road Ensemble, and the genre-stretching string quartet Brooklyn Rider.

Umezaki shares his time between a home in University Hills, Calif., and Manhattan, where his wife, Jean Davidson, is executive director of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company. I encourage you to check out the full article at orangecounty.modernluxury.com/style/culture-vulture-kojiro-umezaki.

It was really nice to hear from Ravi and Olivia Friedman Gooneratne, who have been married since 1994. They have three children: Dylan is 8, Fiona turns 7 in August, and Rhianna is 4. Olivia is at home full time with her wonderful kids, and they keep her plenty busy (see photo).

Before the kids were born, Olivia enjoyed working as a graphic designer and art director for an ad agency in Philadelphia. She then spent a few years working for a smaller business software company in the suburbs. She still freelances, because she loves the work.

Ravi started his career as an actuary but is now an underwriter in the reinsurance business. Olivia reports that his job requires some travel to see clients, but he is always home for their crazy weekends, which include basketball, lacrosse, Little League, and the occasional parents’ night out.

Olivia and her old roommate Eileen Quigley Brooks got together in Chestnut Hill in December for a little holiday shopping, lunch, and a lot of catching up. She happily keeps in touch with Nicole Mandarano but regrets that they have yet to get together. Perhaps they will reconnect in June, as Olivia and Ravi hope to clear their schedules for reunion.

Courtney Ryan Pierce is always reliable when I ask for a personal update, and I’m happy to share hers with the rest of you. She and Rich live in Elkton, Md. Courtney finished her active duty in the Air Force and joined a local private practice as a family medicine physician and works part-time. She still covers the occasional shifts at a local urgent care center as well. Rich works for Focus Bankers based out of Washington, D.C., but is able to work at home part of every week. Their children—Taylor, 7, Tori, 6, and James, 4—keep them busy with soccer, basketball, piano, and gymnastics, to name a few!

Courtney and Rich hope to make it to reunion as well. If they bring their active kids, we could put together an impromptu soccer match on the Quad. Count the Cable girls in!

As for me, 2010 was a great year. Highlights included a beautiful, long weekend in Santa Fe, N.M., for a family wedding, and our first whole-family trip to Disney World. As expected, we had a terrific time. I got together with my Lafayette friends at Lisa Pfeiffer Freeman’s house in Raleigh, N.C. Debbie Kuhn-Dames proved herself adept at collecting eggs. Sadly, she refused to let me publish the photo. Holly Marcin Demeritt was as turned off by the smell of the lizard house as I was! If anyone is in the market for a bearded dragon, be sure to contact Lisa for one of her Carolina dragons. I can assure you that they receive the best of care in their formative stages. As for that kids’ soccer match at reunion, Lisa’s daughter is especially tough on the pitch; I want Hope on my team!

I’ve enjoyed writing the column. Now, I look forward to reading it for a few years and keeping a new columnist apprised of the happenings in my world. So, which of you will take my place and step into our class correspondent role?

See you at our 20th!

1992

Rachel Gordon Skrzypczak
224 Central Ave.
Pleasantville, NY 10570
srmk22@verizon.net

Presidents: Laurie Gormley Broderick, Jennifer Van Cleef Wilke
Fund Manager: Thomas J. Costello
Reunion Chair: Christine O’Hea Pitluk

Greetings and a happy spring to the Class of 1992! We had only a couple of submissions to our column, which I attribute to our keeping in touch via Facebook, Twitter, etc. However, it’s always nice to read about things in Class Notes. So, if you ever have any news or updates, feel free to send them to me any time of year, and I will include them in the column. On to our class news…

Kim Bishop is in Hollywood, acting in film and television. Look for her in the upcoming films Thor and Water for Elephants.

Hongyi Yin writes that the past year has been uneventful in his life and work. “I work at my old post at Xinhua, China,” he says. “I also picked up an extra job working on the subtitles in English for CCTV Channel 4–Chinese International Channel. It’s a lot of fun, because you get to know a lot about aspects of different Chinese cultures. The disadvantage is that you don’t get your name published. So from now on, the nature of my work will shift to team work from the previous loner’s struggle.”

For remembrances, Hongyi attached photos of the covers of three books he translated in previous years: Going To Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide by Cass R. Sunstein, Rule #1: The Simple Strategy for Successful Investing in only 5 Minutes, a U.S. bestseller, by Philip B. Town, and Global Communication, edited by Yahya Kamalipour.

1993

Stan G. Horowitz
342 E. 67th St., Unit 3E
New York, NY 10065-6239
stan4105@gmail.com

President: Alexis J. Belladonna
Fund Managers: Monica Morgan Levy, Ryan E. Schedler
Reunion Chair: Mark Suffredini

1994

Mara Weinstein Friedman
15 Rainbow Ridge Drive
Livingston, NJ 07039
(973) 994-1128
marajaye15@gmail.com

President: Wendy R. Furrer
Fund Managers: Stephanie A. Hayes, Leslie L. Yuen
Reunion Chairs: Wendy R. Furrer, Melanie Armstrong Jaenicke
Web Page Administrator: Tracey Long Berton, bertont@lafayette.edu

Hello, everyone. I must apologize for having such a small column, but I have not received any news from you! Please give me info to write about!

Gabrielle Laux was married to William Aitchison July 16 in Conn. Sally Durgan was a maid of honor. Gabrielle and Bill bought a house in Litchfield County and spend time investigating the surrounding woods with their two sons. Gabrielle is chair of the mathematics department for Canton (Conn.) School District.

Kathryn Kerge and her significant other vacationed in Nicaragua, which Kathryn said “had beautiful beaches.” Yes, I had trouble believing it, but my friend does not lie! Leave it to Kath to explore the most unusual destinations.

Neelah Alpert Pincus is expecting her first child in April. She lives in Aventura, Fla., where she is a social worker.

Once again, Justin Wineburgh has been in the news. Justin is head of Cozen O’Connor’s entertainment and sports law practice. He recently spoke to students at the Academy of Vocal Arts on “Rights for the Vocal Artist,” which covered legal topics specific to vocal artists, including performing rights and general industry terminology. He has extensive experience counseling clients and litigating cases in the entertainment industry throughout the United States and abroad, representing writers, distributors, retailers, managers, agents, production companies, athletes, and performing artists in a variety of both transactional and litigation matters. He has also represented clients at the Sundance, Toronto, Cannes, New York, CineVegas, and Philadelphia film festivals, as well as the American film market. A recognized expert on matters affecting the entertainment industry, Wineburgh sits on the advisory board of the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design, Drexel University, where he is also adjunct professor of entertainment law. He also serves on the board of the Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, law firm advisory board of the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel, and sports and entertainment law committee of the Florida Bar Association. He regularly handles pro bono matters for organizations such as Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program, and Philadelphia Senior Law Center.

As for me, things are status quo. I taught my kids to ski, which will make winter a bit more fun, as they seem to enjoy it and only want to ski with me. No big deal that I haven’t put on skis in nine years!

Well folks, that’s all for now. Please keep the news coming!

1995

Vicki Salemi
c/o Pfenning Alumni Center
Lafayette College
Easton, PA 18042
vicki@bigapplebytes.com

President: Karen L. Hughes
Fund Manager: Meegan E. McVay
Reunion Chair: Siobhan Crann Winograd
Web Page Administrator: Vicki Salemi

It is with great sadness that we report that Ward “Dubbs” Dunnican passed away Sept. 7. Dubbs was killed in a motorcycle accident in Latham, N.Y. He was 37.

For the past four years, Dubbs was a surgeon at Albany Medical Center. He was an exceptional doctor, praised by his colleagues, and won the Patient’s Choice Award the last two years in a row. At home, Dubbs was married to Christi Garber Dunnican and is the father of three girls, Kira, Lleyke, and Gerlinde.

Many of us did not know Dubbs the father or doctor, but he was still the same great guy he was in college. He loved the beach, surfing, and above all else, spending time with his friends and family.

An education fund has been established for the Dunnican girls. If you would like to contribute, you can make checks payable to USAA College Savings Plan, P.O. Box 55354, Boston, MA 02205-5354. In the check memo, you must write: Account #509557428-01. For more information, email info@dunnicanmemorial.org.

Michael Junk checked in recently by email: “In January 2010, I was promoted to partner at my law firm, Hollingsworth LLP in Washington, D.C., where I’ve practiced since graduating from law school in 2001. My personal practice consists mainly of the defense of product liability and toxic tort litigation, where I represent companies in mass tort and other complex litigation all over the country. It’s a busy, and not entirely boring, practice.

“Anyway, I was in New York City Dec. 7 for a legal conference, and while there I ran into Jeff Wylde, who also happened to be at the Park Avenue Tavern, which was opened by another former Lafayette student and good friend, Rob McGovern. Jeff and I caught up over a few beers, and I was happy to see that Jeff hasn’t changed a bit. He does well as a private wealth consultant for Morgan Stanley.

“The same night I saw Ryan McCumber, who could only stay for a few minutes because he had to catch a flight to his latest consulting gig. Ryan is a consultant for Cap Gemini International Consulting, and he’s always on the go.

“Rob told me he’s had quite a few sightings of Brad Pursel at Park Avenue Tavern, but Brad didn’t turn up the night I was there.

“For those interested in Rob ‘Elroy’ McGovern, he’s very busy with his bar and restaurant business. He’s happily married to his wife, Ali, now has a toddler—a beautiful girl named Caitlin—and they live in the Bronx.”

Angela Spell-Sexton is a science teacher and this spring will receive her master’s degree in education specializing in K-8 science. Angela won the Teacher of the Year Award in 2009 for the Burlington City (N.J.) Junior School. Congrats!

Well, this wraps up another column. You know the drill; drop me a line for the next issue, OK? Deadline is Aug. 8. Ciao!

1996

Alison Shipitofsky
1500 Hudson St., Apt. 6-S
Hoboken, NJ 07030
alison_shipitofsky@yahoo.com

President: Thomas A. DiGiovanni
Fund Managers: Lynne A. Cavanaugh, Rawle G. Howard
Reunion Chair: Stephen H. Konya
Web Page Administrator: Audrey Twyman Langan, alangan2007@gmail.com

Welcome back to Page ’96! Here’s the what’s what and who’s who of the Class of 1996.

Justin Zamparelli and wife Allison welcomed their first child Aug. 23, Luke Rocco, at 6 pounds, 4 ounces. Since then, he has packed on the pounds and was already 17 pounds and 26 inches long at 3 months old! Justin, Allison, and Luke live in Yardley, Pa. Justin is a partner at the New York City law firm Withers Bergman. His practice focuses on corporate and commercial law, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and business succession planning.

Robert Dixon is pursuing a new career as a life insurance agent and financial planner for American General Life and Accident Insurance Company. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife of five years.

Ross Gay has a new book of poetry entitled Bringing the Shovel Down, which is available on Amazon.com. Now, I must add that this is not a shameless plug from the otherwise classy Mr. Gay, as he did not submit this tidbit to the correspondent directly. I did a little Googling when the College sent me information for our column. So, Mr. Gay—still classy. Ms. Shipitofsky, however, wants an autographed copy for the plug. I think it would be a nice gesture to replace my Godfather companion book that a certain arts house never returned. Where is it, Shapiro?

Swen Neufeldt and wife Heather packed up the furniture, kids, and dog and moved to Shanghai, China, last August for his job as vice president for Hormel Foods International and director of business development in Asia. Swen and the whole family have enjoyed all types of adventures, from exploring Shanghai to the World Expo to Hong Kong. So, if you’re in Shanghai, look him up!

Joe and Melissa Winsor Tacchino enjoy their new-ish location in Fairfax County, Va., and are still finding new things to do after two years. In May, they welcomed their second child, daughter Mia. Nathan, 4, takes his role of big brother very seriously and loves to dote on his baby sister—at least for now. In June, Joe started a new job with GHA Services, a full-service general contractor specializing in the multifamily and property management markets. In August, he received his MBA from Widener University. Joe’s new job has a much shorter commute, a lot less politics, and he loves it! Melissa recently returned to work after a long maternity leave. She misses the kiddies, but she and Joe love their daycare and come home very happy.

And lastly, Reunion Chair Steve Konya writes: “‘College faces largest freshmen class in four decades’ declared the headline of the Sept. 11, 1992 edition of The Lafayette. What a way to announce our arrival on College Hill!” He hopes you all had a happy winter season, and as we thaw into spring, Steve wants to remind you to save the date for our return to College Hill for our 15th reunion. He challenges us to make the 15th one of the largest ever! Past attendees will recall marching in the reunion parade, reminiscing during class socials and dinners, and showing their future Leopards around campus. He hopes to see you in June to make our reunion as memorable as years past!

That’s all for now; hope everyone is keepin’ it real!

1997

Shannon Gregg Agin
325 Lafayette St., Apt. 6
New York, NY 10012
shannonlagin@yahoo.com

President: Kimberly A. Leary
Fund Manager: Timothy E. Herburger
Reunion Chair: Michele Kaplan McMillan
Web Page Administrator: Shannon Gregg Agin

1998

Tarin Decembrino Cataldo
(610) 688-3837
tacataldo@verizon.net

President: David A. Cheney
Fund Manager: Open
Reunion Chair: Nicole Magnant Morrissey
Web Page Administrator: Maureen Rafferty Hopper

I’d like to begin by thanking Maureen Rafferty Hopper for her five years of service as our class correspondent. She did a great job keeping us informed and connected, and I’m sure you join me in wishing her all the best.

On Oct. 2nd, Rob Burrough married Tricia Aspinwall at the Silver Decoy Winery in Robbinsville, N.J. Fellow Lafayette graduates in attendance included Tim Farmer and Chris Cosgrove. Rob works for the U.S. Department of Transportation, and he and his new wife reside in Robbinsville, N.J.

Congratulations to Siobhan O’Brien Conlon and her husband, Paul, on the birth of their second child, Grace Elizabeth, April 25, 2010, weighing 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and measuring 20 inches. Grace joins big brother Benjamin, who celebrated his second birthday in September.

Jeremy Winkler is a social studies teacher in Prince George’s County, Md., and is department chair at his middle school. He resides in Virginia.

As for me, I live in Wayne, Pa., with my husband and two little boys. I returned to Lafayette in October for Homecoming and was amazed by how much the campus has changed. For those of you who have not been back to the Hill in some time, it’s definitely worth the trip. Of course, the highlight of my visit was catching up with old friends, including Will ’96 and Alison May ’98 Forbes, Melissa Grozinski, Carolyn Ohart Scala, Tara Hallberg Larkin ’97, Barrie Jo Milunec Wambold ’97, and Karey Nixon Kelly ’97.

Thanks to those who contributed to this column. Please continue to send me updates, personal or professional, so that I can share them with our class. I look forward to hearing from you!

1999

Pamela Perez
258 North Ballston Ave.
Scotia, NY 12302
pamelaperez99@alumi.lafayette.edu

President: Amanda Alpert Knight
Fund Manager: Amanda Alpert Knight
Reunion Chairs: Taryn Boland, Megan Sweeney Waite
Web Page Administrators: Adriana Franceschini Casey, Jennifer Padgett Ferrie

I hope 2011 is treating you all well! Many of our classmates had lots of celebrate in 2010.

Ted Cole, along with his wife, Kalli, and daughters, Evalyse, 4, and Lianna, 2, welcomed Melina Pana April 17, 2010. Nicole Glaser-George and her husband, Chris, welcomed little baby Everett Matthew Dec. 8. Big brother Brooks is trying to get used to the new family addition. Congratulations to both families!

Michael R. Higdon married Jamie Corbett at the Cliffs-Glassy Chapel in western South Carolina Oct. 11, 2009. In attendance were alumni David Biko ’98, Todd Michel ’98, Craig Deleo ’96, Greg Rynne ’96, and Tom Watrous. Michael and Jamie live and work in the thriving Atlas District of Washington, D.C. Now crossing the Atlantic Ocean over to Paris, Petya Ivanova sends greetings and news that she is engaged to Gael Dugelay and plans a June wedding in Paris, followed by another party in Bulgaria for her enormous family. Good luck to our couples!

I love to receive news of alumni getting together and enjoying each other’s company. Amanda Alpert Knight, Stacey Donofrio D’Arcy, and Marnel Moschorak Ahern returned to campus this past fall to watch a football game. They brought along future leopards Alex Knight, Meredith Darcy, and Addison and Samantha Ahern. As Amanda puts it, “The kids had a blast and we hugged the Leopard statue”!

Karen Berrier Woodmansee and Isabel Cabarcas-Quick had a mini reunion at Isa’s home in New Jersey before she moved to Texas. Karen’s children, Joseph, 6, and Lauren, 4, enjoyed playing with Isabel’s son Christian, 1. They especially loved the seven dwarfs hand painted by Isabel in Christian’s bedroom. Karen also mentioned she has started a new job as a program manager for LifeCell, a medical device company.

As for me, I have picked up roots and moved back to the East coast! I now live in upstate New York and work as the information systems and summer events coordinator at Skidmore College. I could not be happier about returning east or working in higher education again.

That is all the news for this edition. I look forward to hearing from all of you soon. Please email or mail me your updates. Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2011!

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