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CLASS NOTES
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
CLASS NOTES
such conditions. Because humans
possess these awesome capabilities
is just one of the reasons I chose existential
psychology — an approach
that really appreciates each person’s
humanness — for my life path.
And then, like a gift from the
heavens, I got a message from the
incomparable Judy Kim, whom
I saw for a flash at reunion. She
wrote, “I live in Stamford, Conn.,
and work at RBS. Sarah Kass plans
to help me find a place to buy
groceries in Stamford other than
Target!”
So, I must extend much gratitude
to my brother, my sister-in-law and
my nephew, of course, who live
near Stamford, as do my sister-inlaw’s
parents, for enabling me to
have enough familiarity with the
area to help Judy get her grocery
shopping done. Phew! Thank
goodness the dissertation defense
is done.
REUNION WEEKEND
MAY 30–JUNE 2, 2013
ALUMNI OFFICE CONTACTS
ALUMNI AFFAIRS Cynthia Wood
cw2662@columbia.edu
212-851-9645
DEVELOPMENT Mara Henckler
mlc2105@columbia.edu
212-851-7494
88
Eric Fusfield
1945 South George
Mason Dr.
Arlington, VA 22204
ericfusfield@bigfoot.com
Congratulations to Stephen Sagner,
who has been named co-president
and chief strategy officer of College
Summit, a nonprofit that works
with students to encourage their
success in high school and college.
“College Summit is the gold
standard in student-led college and
career readiness, so I cannot think
of a better place for me to have a
positive impact on the economic
future of our kids, their families
and communities than with this extraordinary
organization,” Stephen
said in a press release. “College
Summit’s strength is developing
curriculum and in-school programming.
That expertise combined
with innovative initiatives like its
College Know ledge Challenge,
which recently launched with
Facebook and the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation to create collegegoing
apps for students, makes
College Summit incredibly attractive
to corporations, foundations
and others looking to invest in
solutions that work today and into
the future.”
Plaudits (and a mazel tov) also
go out to Jonathan Lavine, recipient
of the Anti-Defamation League
New England region’s highest
honor, the Distinguished Community
Service Award. The ADL,
according to its statement, “is recognizing
Lavine’s immense civic
leadership and influence to effect
positive change in our community.
Lavine believes strongly in giving
back to his community. Together
with his wife, Jeannie, Lavine has
helped create, grow and sustain
numerous organizations focused
on improving the lives of children
and families around the world.”
Jonathan, a Columbia trustee,
is managing partner and CIO
of Sankaty Advisors, which he
founded in 1997. Sankaty, the
fixed income and credit affiliate of
Bain Capital, is one of the leading
global credit and distressed debt
managers, with approximately $19
billion of assets under management.
Through the Crimson Lion
Foundation, which they launched
in 2007, Jonathan and Jeannie
provide financial support to many
community-based organizations.
Steve Silverstein sent a note:
“Still two kids, now 7 and 4, boy
and girl, and one wife. I am changing
jobs but as I am on gardening
leave, I am unable to disclose my
future employer. I will continue
to provide debt financing to commodities
trading companies.”
Mark Timoney, who lives in
Westchester County, N.Y., and
works for HSBC Bank, also sent
greetings. “All is well with my wife,
Maria, and our kids: Ines Maria
(Sarah Lawrence ’14), John Lucas
’15E, and Ana Gracia and Ricardo
David (both still in high school).”
Don’t forget that 2013 is our 25th
reunion year — a big one — so
start planning your trip. The dates
are Thursday, May 30–Sunday,
June 2. The Reunion Committee
has been working for months
to plan a terrific weekend. On
Thursday evening, we’ll join the
members of the 50th reunion class
for a special reception at President
Lee C. Bollinger’s house; afterward,
our class will continue the
festivities at the Skyline Room and
Terrace in Faculty House. Among
the other events are Friday’s
walking tour of the High Line and
reception at The Standard, and
Saturday’s class-specific dinner followed
by dancing under the stars
at the Starlight Reception.
Look for more information at
reunion.college.columbia.edu.
Also, to ensure that Columbia can
get in touch with you about the
event, please update your contact
information at reunion.college.
columbia.edu/alumniupdate or call
the Alumni Office (212-851-7488).
Thanks for your updates and
please keep sending them to me at
the email address at the top of the
column or through CCT’s easy-touse
webform: college.columbia.
edu/cct/submit_class_note.
89
Emily Miles Terry
45 Clarence St.
Brookline, MA 02446
emilymilesterry@me.com
Our long publication lead time
for CCT makes it difficult for this
column to run important information
quickly. Though this message
from Brian O’Connell came in late
last fall, it’s no less critical now.
I’ve written about Brian before.
He is the founding principal of
the Scholars’ Academy, a gifted
grade 6–12 school of just less than
1,200 students, in Rockaway Park,
Queens. In the fall his school was
ravaged by Hurricane Sandy and
then looted. Brian writes, “We need
help. I ask that you help us get the
word out to Columbia alumni. Our
school lost a tremendous number of
books, musical instruments, sports
equipment, office furniture and
technology. In the aftermath, more
than 80 iPads and several iMacs
were stolen. Our stage, brand new
curtains and gymnasium floor are
destroyed. Our fitness room is in
shambles. The school was flooded
with seawater and sewage from the
water treatment plant across the
street from our building.”
According to Brian, more than
half of the students and staff were
left homeless by the storm. Some
students’ homes burned to the
ground; some staff members’
homes were filled floor to roof with
seawater. Yet, one week later, 60
percent of students and more than
95 percent of staff were present in
two relocation schools in East New
York, Brooklyn.
Brian has worked tirelessly to
build the Scholars’ Academy since
2004. The school started as a program
while he was principal of P.S.
114Q, a K–6 school. In 2005, the gifted
program was expanded to be a
stand-alone school and then added
one grade each year. In June 2011,
the Scholars’ Academy graduated
its first class of high school students.
When Brian wrote to me, he was
still living in a hotel as he waited for
his house to be habitable.
Contact Brian at principal@aol.
com or via LinkedIn.
Last November, my husband
Dave Terry ’90 and I attended the
Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner
in Low Rotunda. Jonathan Schiller
’69, ’73L was the recipient of the
2012 Alexander Hamilton Medal.
The medal, the highest honor
paid to a member of the College
community, is awarded by the Columbia
College Alumni Association.
Jonathan, a University trustee and
a member of the Dean’s Council of
the Law School, received a John Jay
Award for distinguished professional
achievement in 2006. Among
many professional and personal
accomplishments, he was a member
of the 1967–68 Ivy League Championship
basketball team.
I hadn’t been inside Low Rotunda
since Dave worked there sorting
books and things for his workstudy
job in the ’80s. The Alumni
Office dressed up the room magnificently
for the evening.
While there, it was nice to catch
up with John Vaske ’88 and Lisa
Landau Carnoy. Also in attendance
was Raymond Yu, who has
been working in his family’s real
estate development and management
company since graduation.
Raymond sent an update: “We have
developed and manage office/retail
and market rate apartment buildings
throughout NYC but a significant
number of our projects are in the
affordable housing space. We completed
our 16th affordable housing
project/building in Harlem last year.
I also recently became chairman of
the board of directors of a community
bank based in New York City.”
Also at the Hamilton Dinner was
Raymond’s wife, Ya-Ning. The Yu
family has three children (13, 11 and
10) and lives in New York.
90
Rachel Cowan Jacobs
313 Lexington Dr.
Silver Spring, MD 20901
youngrache@hotmail.com
It’s 2013. Only two more years
until our 25th reunion, so save the
date (Thursday, May 28–Sunday,
May 31, 2015)!
In more immediate developments,
kudos to Rukesh Korde,
who has been promoted to partner
within the Washington, D.C., office
of Covington & Burling.
In random encounters, Eleni
Passalaris bumped into Colin
Campbell when they were picking
up their children from a mutual
friend’s birthday party. Both live in
New Jersey, albeit 40 minutes away
from one another. In Jersey talk, 40
minutes could as well be 40 states
away, right
Two or four states away, depending
on how you drive, comes news
from Jill Mazza Olson. “My hus -
band, Tod, and I enjoy raising our
kids (Zoe, 15, and Finn, 11) in
Middlesex, Vt. We’re definitely
transitioning into a new phase of
parenting as the kids move into
adolescence.
“My work life remains interesting
and challenging. A few years
ago I got a new title and role — v.p.
of policy and legislative affairs
— at the Vermont Association of
Hospitals and Health Systems,
where I’ve been for 10 years. I
spend much of the year on policy
development and the legislative
session at the state house. Given
Vermont’s ambitious health care
reform agenda and the devastation
of our mental health infrastructure
last year when Tropical Storm Irene
closed our only state psychiatric
hospital, it’s never dull. Still, we try
to find time to recreate in our beautiful
state on our mountain bikes,
skis and kayaks, and we were all
hoping for a snowy winter.”
Oh, snow. I could do without
snow. One thing I always appreciated
about working at a university
was that when it snowed, that
snow got shoveled faster than you
could say “snow day.” Catherine
Prendergast might know what I’m
talking about. She reports, “I’m a
professor of English at the University
of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
My husband, John Tubbs,
and I are cracked up daily by our
8-year-old son, Siggi, who likes to
do his homework ‘with the college
students’ at Starbucks. Having recently
finished a term as director of
my university’s first-year composition
program, I’ve started a blog
of advice, firstyearcomp.com, as
a form of public outreach. Buried,
therein, is a memory of ‘Logic and
Rhetoric.’”
I have a report from Udita
(Malhoutra) Nabha, who probably
does not see much snow these
days. After several decades of
living all over the world, Udita is
delighted to be based in Mumbai
with her daughter, Naia (9). She’s
involved with a variety of nonprofits,
including some in academia
and healthcare. She hopes anyone
traveling her way will get in touch.
Anita Bose is a woman after my
own heart. Before starting a new job
last fall as chief strategist at Cooney/
Waters Group, a New York-based
healthcare communications group
of companies, she did what I dream
of doing again someday: take a long
hiatus from the working world to
travel through Southeast Asia for a
few months, then spend a summer
as a beach bum. While in Krabi,
Thailand, she got together with
Nancy (Pak) Marshall; Nancy’s
husband, Jim Marshall; and their
children, Cecelia and Ryan. In July,
Colgate-Palmolive relocated Nancy
and clan from Bangkok to Warsaw,
where she is marketing director for
central Europe.
Dan Sackrowitz has left the Bare
Necessities underwear world for
Loehmann’s “outerwear” world,
where he is v.p. for e-commerce.
Mariana and Peter Neisuler and
their sons left Moscow in summer
2011 for their obligatory domestic
posting within the Foreign Service
and will be in Washington, D.C.,
through 2015. Pete is in the State
Department’s Bureau of European
and Eurasian Affairs covering
the Benelux countries (Belgium,
Netherlands and Luxembourg) and
Mariana is in the Office of the Chief
Economist (a newly created office
under President Barack Obama ’83
and the Secretary of State). Starting
this summer, Pete will work for the
director general of the State Department
on human resource policy
coordination for the department as
a whole (a change of pace from his
usual stuff, he says, but interesting
nonetheless, as it relates to the
question of what the United States
wants from its diplomats); Mariana
is working on energy policy in the
India/Pakistan region.
On a different and more somber
note, it was gut-wrenching for me
to read and hear about tales from
Hurricane Sandy in October and
November. My family was lucky to
not have had any damage or inconvenience
in Maryland but I know
many of you were not as fortunate.
Isaac-Daniel Astrachan was
one such person, and wrote about
his experience in Battery Park
City. “We were in the evacuation
zone but we decided to stay and
ride out the storm. As the storm
looked to be calming down, the
water started to rise, and from our
28th-floor apartment we watched
as the Hudson expanded into our
streets and we saw the West Side
Highway become a river. As the
water was heading north on the
West Side Highway, and as basements
were filling with water, we
could see buildings losing power
and going dark. Looking west we
saw bright flashes of light in New
Jersey, as electrical transformers
were blowing up. We also saw a
large flash when the 13th Street
Con Ed transformer blew, which
led to most buildings in Manhattan
below 23rd Street going dark.
“Ironically, out of the six buildings
in our complex, which sits
on the edge of the Hudson, our
building was the only one to lose
power (slightly frustrating to see
your neighbors in the next tower
with power, cable, etc.). Compared
to others who lost everything,
though, we were only inconvenienced.
School was closed and the
office did not have power, so we
spent the week at home, walking
down the 28 floors once a day to go
see friends, and walking back up in
the evening to go to bed. Building
codes will change. The current
flood zone map is obsolete.”
Let us hope that the only storm
any of us should experience in the
future is a storm of good luck.
91
Margie Kim
1923 White Oak Clearing
Southlake, TX 76092
margiekimkim@
hotmail.com
Greetings, all!
I think this is a CC ’91 first:
The child of two classmates, Alan
In December, Herbert Block ’87 (left) and CCT Class Correspondent
Eric Fusfield ’88 (right) participated in an international conference
on Holocaust-era property restitution in Prague, Czech Republic.
They are shown here with Norman L. Eisen, U.S. ambassador of the
United States to the Czech Republic. Block is assistant e.v.p. of the
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; Fusfield is director
of legislative affairs at B’nai B’rith International and deputy director
of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and
Public Policy.
Goldman and Sara Goldman
(née Silver) has been accepted to
Columbia! Congrats to Shmuel ’15
and the whole Goldman family.
Jacqueline Harounian was
named one of the “Top 50 Women
Lawyers” in New York by Super
Lawyers. Her practice focuses on
matrimonial and family law in the
New York metro area.
Jennifer Ashton writes, “I
recently was named senior medical
contributor for ABC News and
appear regularly on Good Morning
America and World News with Diane
Sawyer. I maintain my private
practice in ob-gyn and I love the
world of news, as it gives me the
opportunity to explore current
medical and health issues in all
fields and convey key information
to millions of viewers every day.
Whether it involves interviewing
experts or delivering the expert
commentary myself, it keeps me
up to date and learning every day.
Also, my new book, Your Body
Beautiful: Clockstopping Secrets to
Staying Healthy, Strong, and Sexy in
Your 30s, 40s, and Beyond, was published
in paperback. It is a head-totoe
guide to health and wellness
for women 30 and older.”
Greg Ostling writes, “I am a
corporate partner at the law firm
of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz,
where I focus primarily on mergers
and acquisitions. My wife, Angela,
and I live on the Upper West Side.
Angela is a physician on staff at
NYU, and we have three wonderful
sons, William (8), Daniel (6) and
Peter (1). The boys love visiting the
Columbia campus and The Cathedral
Church of St. John the Divine.
Whenever we are up there, we like
to grab pizza at V&T and cookies
at the Hungarian Pastry Shop.
“One of the great things about
being a Columbia alumnus in NYC
is that it makes the city feel like a
small town; I always am amazed
at how frequently I run into fellow
’91ers and get a chance to reconnect.
As a further reminder that
middle age is upon us, these runins
typically involve our children.
Most recently, I had the fortune
to run into Noah Greenhill at a
birthday party. Also, my oldest son
is classmates with Edward Ryeom
’91E’s son and my middle son is
classmates with Stefan Reyniak’s
son!”
Hope everyone is having a great
2013. Until next time, cheers!
92
Jeremy Feinberg
315 E. 65th St. #3F
New York, NY 10021
jeremy.feinberg@
verizon.net
What this column lacks in number
of updates it more than makes up
for in the quality of the news.
John Vagelatos and his wife,
Karen, welcomed a new addition
in the days before Hurricane
Sandy. Kate weighed in at 6 lbs., 10
oz. The proud dad is already teaching
her the words to Roar, Lion,
Roar! Having met Kate shortly after
her birth, I’m more than willing
to endorse her as a member of the
Class of 2033.
I also learned that Jason Griffith
has joined Sanford C. Bernstein as
global head of trading.
Congratulations, Jason!
I hope that next time we’ll have
a column filled both with lots of
updates and lots of good news.
Please don’t be shy about writing
in; I’d love to hear from you. Use
SPRING 2013
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SPRING 2013
85