Class Notes
River Campus /Undergraduate
1949
Joyce Gitelman Barrow writes that in February, she exhibited several of her abstract still-life paintings at the Courtroom Gallery at Village Hall in her hometown of Great Neck, N.Y. Joyce has shown her work at several galleries in the New York metropolitan area.
1953
Jules Cohen ’57M (MD), a professor of medicine and cardiology at Rochester, has coauthored a book, John Romano and George Engel: Their Lives and Work (University of Rochester Press), on the contributions of two Rochester medical school faculty members who helped transform doctor education and patient care.
1958
John Rathbone writes that he received a note from Brenda Miller Thalacker ’60 that Dick Thalacker died last February. “Back in the day, we knew Dick as ‘The Mole’ or ‘Moley’ because of his thick glasses,” John writes. “In addition to his prowess on the football field, Dick was a stalwart member of the U of R Sailing Club. He was my skipper and I was his crew. We did OK.” Brenda is a violinist and performs regularly in the Detroit area.
1960
Brenda Miller Thalacker (see ’58).
1966
Bruce Crockett, the independent chair of Invesco Funds, was named the 2010 Trustee of the Year by Fund Directions, an independent news source that reports on issues concerning governance of mutual fund boards. In particular, Bruce was praised for his leadership during a series of acquisitions involving substantial reorganization and consolidation of the company’s funds.
1967
Ed Spencer, the vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech, has received a Significant Sig Award from the Sigma Chi fraternity, of which he’s an alumnus member. The award is the fraternity’s highest honor. Ed was advisor to the Sigma Chi chapter at Virginia Tech for 20 years and served as a national officer as well as a committee and board member of the fraternity.
1968
Cathy Jones Minehan has been named the dean of the Simmons College School of Management in Boston. Cathy is a Rochester trustee, serving as chair of the board’s executive committee. She’s also the chair of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s Council of Economic Advisors and served 39 years with the Federal Reserve.
1970
Gary Goodman writes that he was named one of “America’s Leading Lawyers for Business” by the legal research and ratings agency Chambers USA and a top real estate attorney in the New York metropolitan region by the agency Super Lawyers. He’s a partner at SNR Denton and heads the firm’s New York real estate practice as well as its real estate, retail, and hotels sector. . . . Andrew and Sharon Leibenhaut Tievsky ’72 celebrated the marriage of their daughter, Dana Tievsky ’07, to Matthew Koren ’07, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Cleveland last August. Andrew writes: “Dana received a master’s degree in clinical research at NYU and is a second-year dental student at the University of Southern California. Matt is a research and development engineer at Goulds Pumps of ITT Corp. in Los Angeles. At the wedding were 51 U of R graduates. Pictured are (back row, left to right) Adam Wojdyla ’07, ’08N, Andrew Laughlin ’07, Chris Brunetti ’07, Stacey Fox ’06, Jeff Sottolano, Dan Rossi ’07; (fourth row) Patrick McCarthy ’07, Tom Spangenberg ’07, Michelle Gilchrist ’07, Emily Dunstan ’08, Andrea Galati ’05, Olivia LaBoda ’05, Erik Monostory ’06, ’08S (MS), ’10S (MBA), Jack Greco ’06, ’08S (MBA); (third row) Lindsay Dahlben ’07, Heidi Davies ’07, Julia Simon ’07, Lindsay Bonsignore ’06, Celi Fletcher ’07, Jessica Dudley ’06, Kathryn Nave ’06, Deana Holt ’08, Carli Moochler ’08, ’10W (MS), Sarah Baroody ’07, Maura McCourt ’07, Ben McKee ’08, Alanna Tievsky ’07, Susan Shachter Goodman ’72, Bob Feinstein’72, Andrew Lipman ’74, Gerry Katz ’70; (second row) Ryan Barnard ’07, Erika Winkler ’06, Lindsay Dussing ’07, Jen Greenman ’07, Krista Butler ’07, Emily Calcagnino ’08, Sara Ancello ’08, Abha Dhakal ’07, Jan Abrams Tievsky ’73, Gary Goodman ’70; (first row) Matt (groom) ’07, Dana (bride) ’07, Sharon, and Andrew. Other Rochester alumni in attendance, but not pictured, were Seth Tievsky ’72, Barbara Kruger Katz ’73, Gerry Katz ’70, Mitch Baseman ’06, Meghan Powers ’05, Peter McEneaney ’08, Alex Smith ’07, Dan Rivers ’06, and Carl Libardoni ’06.
1972
Nancy Cohn writes that she’s earned a doctorate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from the University of East London. She focused her studies on organizational trauma, especially in medical settings. . . . Sharon Leibenhaut Tievsky (see ’70).
1976
Barbara DeBuono ’80M (MD) has been appointed president and CEO of Orbis International, a global public health organization that works to prevent and treat blindness. Previously, Barbara was the chief medical officer and global director of public health and social marketing for the public relations firm Porter Novelli. . . . Deborah Spratt, a professor of geoscience at the University of Calgary, has been recognized for professional service by the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, and Geophysicists of Alberta. Deborah received the organization’s Summit Award at a ceremony in April.
1979
Joe Kubarek has been elected to the executive committee of the Buffalo law firm Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel. . . . Valerie Ann Leeds has coauthored a book, From New York to Corrymore: Robert Henri and Ireland (Mint Museum of Art). It explores the Irish themes in the work of American painter Henri and accompanies a traveling exhibit organized by the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, N.C. . . . Michael Messina has coedited Acts of War: Iraq and Afghanistan in Seven Plays (Northwestern), an anthology by contemporary American and British playwrights exploring the recent wars.
1980
Lisa Swain writes that she’s the mayor of Fair Lawn, N.J. “I’m in my fourth year as a councilwoman and was elected mayor in January.”
1983
Scott Ainsworth has coauthored a book, Abortion Politics in Congress: Strategic Incrementalism and Policy Change (Cambridge University Press), an exploration of the impact of congressional procedures on abortion policy. Scott is a professor of political science at the University of Georgia.
1986
Mary-Frances Pizzimenti Garber has opened a private practice in Boston as a genetic counselor. She writes: “The focus is on supportive genetic counseling and bereavement issues. I work with individuals, couples, and families who want to address their emotional response following a loss or genetic diagnosis.” She adds that she and Mark Garber “cannot wait for our 25th reunion in October and hope to see many friends there. Our oldest daughter is planning her interview for that weekend. That makes us feel a bit grown up!” . . . Demetrios Tonias has earned a doctorate in theology from Boston College. He’s the pastor of the Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Watertown, Mass.
1987
Chris Kilian, an environmental lawyer and director of Clean Water and Healthy Forests at Boston’s Conservation Law Foundation, has been recognized by the Charles River Watershed Association for his contributions to the restoration and protection of the Charles River. Chris received the association’s Anne M. Blackburn Award at a ceremony in March.
1990
John Sotomayor was named the 2010 Journalist of the Year by the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce in February. In March, he joined Ocala Magazine as associate editor.
1991
Karen Amlaw writes that she was a semifinalist in the 2011 American Prize in Vocal Performance competition, opera/operetta division. The competition, featuring 10 separate musical categories, was founded in 2009 by Chicago conductor, composer, and playwright David Katz to honor the best in performing arts in the United States in schools, churches, communities, and other venues where artists may go unrecognized. Karen writes: “In 1991, I received my bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in music, with violin as my principal instrument. In 2003, after pursuing a career in restaurant management for some 10 years, I returned to music—this time as a singer. I have spent the past six-plus years developing myself as an opera singer.” She maintains a website at www.karenamlaw.com. . . . Michael Ko writes: “I’ve been running Vitex, a fiber optic solution provider for video transmission applications, in Cranford, N.J., since 2003. I was back at U of R recently and pleased to see beautiful additions and renovations at the campus, especially at the Institute of Optics. I make a great living from optics, so thank you, U of R, and thank you, the Institute of Optics! Meliora!” . . . Jeffrey Newman has joined the Washington, D.C., office of the law firm Thompson Coburn as partner in its government contracts practice.
1995
Joe Mastrosimone will begin as associate professor of law at Washburn Law School in Topeka, Kan., this fall. Most recently, he was the general counsel of the Kansas Human Rights Commission. Joe writes: “My teaching and scholarship will focus on legal research and writing and labor and employment issues. I’ll continue to live in Lawrence with my wife, Gina, and our three children: Zach (6), Katie (3), and Ryan (2).”
1996
Chris Bruell and his wife, Marika, welcomed a son, Rylan Shay, last December. The Bruells live in Boston. The picture shows Rylan with his beagle, Colby. . . . Elle Steiner writes that she ran the Boston Marathon—her first marathon—in April. Elle is the founder of the Boston design firm Moda.
1998
Lil Paraka, the mother of Steve Paraka, writes that she organized a golf tournament in June to support a scholarship fund in Steve’s memory. Steve died suddenly in June 2010. The tournament, which she hopes to make an annual event, was held at Durand-Eastman Golf Course in Rochester and all proceeds went to the Stephen Paraka Memorial Scholarship Fund at the University. Lil writes that the fund “is to encourage and express the support our family has received from the community, our family, and friends, to keep Steve’s memory alive.” She adds that Steve loved computers and the piano since he was young and the scholarship money will go to “at least one Rochesterian who excels at both computers and piano” in addition to demonstrating overall academic promise. Classmates who wish to contribute to the scholarship fund in Steve’s memory should contact Lil by email at lil.paraka@rochester.edu.
1999
Tracy David Brooks writes: “I’ve accepted the position of assistant professor at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and will move to Oxford, Miss., and begin work on August 1.” Tracy was previously an assistant research scientist in the pharmacology and toxicology department at the University of Arizona.
2000
Shannon Phillips Champion ’01 (MS) writes that she and her husband, Bill, welcomed a baby girl, Anya Juliette, in February. . . . Sara Lucas Mellinger and her husband, Dan, welcomed their second son, Aiden Thomas, in October. Sara writes: “Big brother Evan enjoys entertaining his new playmate. The four of us live near Burlington, Vt.”
2001
Dan ’02 (MS) and Shari Bogen Bartholomew welcomed their first child, Hannah Pearl, in March. Shari writes: “I’m a high school guidance counselor and Dan is an engineering manager for Raytheon. We purchased our first home in Chelmsford, Mass., outside of Boston, last June.” . . . . Jonathan and Lara Berwanger Chassin ’02 welcomed a daughter, Charlotte, in October. . . . Cara Mia Chan Konzel ’04N, ’08N (MS) writes: “I recently accepted a position as an acute care nurse practitioner in the Cardiothorasic ICU at Columbia University/New York Presbyterian Hospital. In July, my husband, James, and I are expecting our third ‘dandelion’ in three years. ‘Number Three’ will join sister, Bella Mia (born in November 2008) and brother August Thomas (born in March 2010).”
2002
Lara Berwanger Chassin (see ’01).
2003
Beth Farley writes that she married Scott Prater in Dallas last January. Pictured from left to right are Amy Kelmenson, Kate Sattelberg ’04N, ’10S (MS), Beth, Amanda Schwartzkopf, Laura VanValkenburg, and Amanda Baran Amador. . . . Sean Newhouse, who’s one of two assistant conductors of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, visited the Eastman School in April to meet with the conducting class of his former teacher, Neil Varon, as well as several Eastman composers, and to conduct a portion of the Philharmonia rehearsal. Sean has been music director of the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra in Los Angeles and associate conductor of the Indianapolis Symphony. In February, Sean made his debut with the Boston Symphony when he stepped in for conductor James Levine, on two hours’ notice, to conduct Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9.
2004
Joanna Toke Brougher ’05M (MPH) has joined the Rochester law firm Boylan, Brown, Code, Vigdor & Wilson. A patent attorney, Joanna focuses on biomedical devices, life sciences, and nanotechnology. . . . Denise Brown has joined the Buffalo office of the law firm Harter Secrest & Emery in its labor and employment litigation practice. . . . Jenica Schmidt Nuccitelli ’05W (MS) and her husband, David, welcomed a baby girl, Taylor, in March. Taylor joins her big brothers Nathen (5) and Lucas (2).
2006
Adam Bink writes: “I took a position as director of online programs at the Courage Campaign, a California-based organization of 700,000 members nationwide. We use online means to organize our members to promote Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender equality.”
2007
Mark Biery and Meghan Neall were married in January in Detroit. Mark writes: “In attendance was a strong showing of Rochester alumni, including Matthew Bonyak (best man), Catherine Adams (maid of honor), Nathan Osorio, Elyse Wrona, Jonathan Widawsky, Ruth Kang Bonyak, Cate Kraft, and Jessica Schulman.” . . . Matthew Koren (see ’70). . . Dana Tievsky (see ’70).
