2000s
'00 Austin Barger
Columbus, Ohio
austinbarger@hotmail.com
David Shearer
Nashville, Tennessee
dwshearer@gmail.com
Eliza K. Andrews, Vienna, Virginia, became engaged to Tom Schoene during Thanksgiving 2010 and is now in the midst of planning for their wedding next March and moving to a new place in Arlington, Virginia. Eliza continues to do part-time development work and teach piano and voice lessons throughout northern Virginia. Tom is an analyst for a government contractor. Brooke E. Benaroya married Josh Dickson (Northwestern) on April 2, 2011, outside Seattle, Washington. James W. Cook, Elissa Carleton Fontenot, Emily A. Grillo, Sarah Pearce-Batten '01, and Erica L. Rosenfeld '98 were members of the wedding party. Issa's husband, Michael, and their son, Teddy (one), also attended, as well as other Kenyon alumni. Brooke and Josh live in Seattle, Washington. Naomi R. Enright and her husband, Adam C. Whittaker (Pratt '01), welcomed their son, Sebastián Adam Whittaker, on December 1, 2010. They could not be happier. The family lives in Brooklyn, New York. Benjamin T. Keene, Brooklyn, New York, writes that after eight years as an editor at Oxford University Press in New York, he started writing freelance in 2009 and has since published dozens of stories on travel, craft beer, and outdoor recreation. In April, Globe Pequot Press published his first book, reviewed in this issue, Best Hikes Near New York City. Ben was based in Southeast Asia, but returned to the East Coast this summer. Emily A. Leachman is a reference and teen services librarian with the Cabarrus County Public Library, outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. Emily bought a house in Charlotte in 2009, and she continues to love living in North Carolina. Kristin A. Meister married Joshua Ellison (Oberlin '98), whom she met in law school at the University of Michigan. The wedding was in Manhattan on November 6, 2010. Kenyon graduates in attendance included Lonnie D. Manns, Rebecca J. Kent, Denise S. Wong, Deborah Benson Krishnan, Elizabeth Roche Griffin and her husband, Tyler G. Griffin '01, and Kelly A. Adams '09. Kristin is working as an attorney at the plaintiffs' side law firm of Bernstein Litowitz Berger and Grossmann LLP. Kristin and Josh live in Manhattan and are loving married life. Maraleen D. Shields and her husband, Kevin Law Orloski (Cornell '99), welcomed their first child, Cole Law Orloski, on September 20, 2010. Maraleen works for the law firm Stevens and Lee, P.C., in the health law and risk management group, in its Bethlehem office. The family lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Holly Donahue Singh successfully defended her doctoral dissertation in anthropology at the University of Virginia in May and looks forward to new adventures post graduate school! Holly, her husband, Deepak, and their daughter, Anushka (two), live in Charlottesville, Virginia. Paul W. Stinson and Heather Graber Stinson welcomed their first child, Sam Stinson, on July 30, 2010, and are enjoying parenthood. The Stinsons live in Hamilton, New York, where both Paul and Heather work at Colgate University. They loved seeing everyone last year at the reunion! Molly A. Willow, Westerville, Ohio, eloped to Yellow Springs, Ohio, with John Vogel earlier this year. They planned to celebrate later with family and friends in Ohio and Oregon.
'01 Erin Shanahan
Chicago, Illinois
shanahane@hotmail.com
Joel A. Rice recently wrote about the history of skateboarding fashion for ESPN Magazine. On a related note, his wife, Morgan C. Oglvie '03, was surprised to receive a call from professional skateboarder Tony Hawk, who said, "Hey, Morgan. This is Tony Hawk. I love your paintings." Joel writes, "In fact, Mr. Hawk has never seen Morgan's paintings." Joel and Morgan live in Franklin, Tennessee, and both are active in the local dog-rescue community. Jada Twedt Strabbing, New York City, received her Ph.D. in philosophy from Princeton University in January 2011 and has completed her first year of teaching philosophy as an assistant professor at Fordham University in New York. She found her first year of teaching to be busy and exhausting, but a lot of fun. Jada writes, "It is nice to finally be out of school!" Jeana M. Visel, Louisville, Kentucky, is concluding five years of teaching high school theology in order to go back to school for a master's degree in theology with a concentration in monastic studies. She will be at St. John's School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota, through 2014 and would be happy to reconnect with Kenyon friends in the frozen north! Ilona D. Williamson, Brooklyn, New York, writes that after a decade working in the New York City public schools system, she is going back to school to get an M.S. in nutrition and to become licensed as a registered dietitian. Ilona has been accepted to the CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College and is hoping to use her new degree to work on disease prevention and school food improvement.
'02 Meredith Crawford
Madison, Connecticut
meredithcrawford1980@gmail.com
Amelia Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
ameliacjohnson@yahoo.com
Densil Porteous II
San Francisco, California
dporteous@alumni.kenyon.edu
Seena S. Mathew, Austin, Texas, married William Boroff in India on February 5, 2011. Amy L. Shapiro married Patrick Cook on November 24, 2010. Pat is the director of musical theater and jazz for BMI. Amy and Pat live in New York City. Shana N. West moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, a year ago and got her dream job developing exhibits at the Science Museum of Minnesota. She has been working on an exhibit that asks, "On a human-dominated planet, how do we survive and thrive?" Shana writes, "I think asking that question is a good way to begin."
'03 Phillip E. Ross
Anaheim, California
phildre1@yahoo.com
Megan Rafferty Barnes, Baltimore, Maryland, put her liberal arts education to good use in March 2011 on Jeopardy, where she was a three-day champion. Cheering on Megan in the audience was Rose Talbert Meiri. Megan writes that it was the thrill of a lifetime, and her classical mythology class came in handy when she won $4,000 on a daily double on the daughters of Mnemosyne. Ann Weinheimer Johnson and her husband, Gregory, both work as associate veterinarians at the Perry Veterinary Clinic in Perry, New York. Ann is a companion animal clinician. The Johnsons live in Leicester, New York. Christopher T. McKeon is living in Seattle, Washington, and working for Aetna, servicing the mid-market clientele. He is the proud father of Dane Vishtak McKeon (one). Rebecca Palacios Smith and her husband, Raymond, are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Benjamin Paul Smith, on February 19, 2011. The Smith family lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.
'04 Cynthia A. Cunningham
Chillicothe, Ohio
cynthia.cunningham@gmail.com
Jesse Spencer
Denver, Colorado
jessegspencer@gmail.com
Anne Higby Ellsworth
Mount Vernon, Ohio
ellswortha@kenyon.edu
Robert W. Arkell, Houston, Texas, has been promoted to the rank of captain in the United States Army. He is currently serving in Afghanistan. Brandy M. Baker, Chicago, Illinois, received her license as a clinical psychologist in November 2010. She has been working in private practice, for a not-for-profit agency, and as a graduate level instructor throughout the last year. Brandy and her husband, Yoendry Torres Rodriguez, welcomed their first child, Mylo Baker Torres, into the world on June 16, 2011. Brandy writes, "It's been an incredible year for sure!" Anne Higby Ellsworth and Christopher C. Ellsworth '96 live in Mount Vernon, Ohio, where Chris is in his ninth year as the technical director for the Department of Dance, Drama, and Film at Kenyon. Chris and Annie are enjoying their daughter, Abby, who will be two years old on January 18, 2012. Chris writes, "We call her The Widge and think she's pretty groovy. We honestly couldn't be happier." Harrison D. Rivers's play, When Last We Flew, won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway, in March 2011. The play also received an Outstanding Play citation from FringeNYC and was selected for the 2010 FringeNYC Encore Series. The play was developed at The Lincoln Center Directors' Lab, New York Theatre Workshop, and the Sundance Theater Lab. It featured Allison P. Mackie '82 as The Angel. Harrison has finished a two-year Van Lier Fellowship with New Dramatists and is currently developing a new play entitled Look Upon Our Lowliness with the Movement Theater Company. Mary W. Thuell, Washington, D.C., is finishing her second year at Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law in Washington. Andrew T. Tiedeman, Washington, D.C., will marry Melissa Totten on April 14, 2012. Andy is projected to graduate from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School in the fall of 2012 with an M.S. in information systems. He helped organize the Sixth Annual Dodging Diabetes Dodgeball Tournament in March, which has raised over $70,000 to date for the Joslin Diabetes Research Center.
'05 Edward B. Hourigan
Worcester, New York
ehourigan@gmail.com
Kelly A. Smallwood
Alexandria, Virginia
smallwoodk@gmail.com
Alexandra Whitaker
Rockville, Maryland
alexandrawhitaker@gmail.com
Robert L. Grabill married Emma P. Rhodes '07 in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 21, 2011. Kenyon was well represented in the wedding party, with Anne H. Fallon '07 and Stephanie L. Miller '07 as bridesmaids, and Ashton M. D. Todd and Kieran B. Nulty as groomsmen. Emma and Rob look forward to attending their first reunion as a married couple. They live in Chicago, Illinois. Rachel Retrum Sandlin and her husband, Matthew, are happy to announce the birth of their son, Matthew Carsten Sandlin, on March 13, 2011. They are calling him "Chip" (as off the old block), and are enjoying every moment with him. The Sandlin family lives in Naples, Italy, where Matt is serving a three-year tour of duty with the United States Navy.
'06 Charmayne Cooley
Montpelier, Ohio
charmayne.cooley@gmail.com
C. Hayes Wong
Winston Salem, North Carolina
Hayeswong128@gmail.com
Allyson M. Whipple and Jonathan E. Porobil '08, Austin, Texas, celebrated three years of marriage in June 2011. Allyson has been hired as a junior editor at Siren-Bookstrand in Austin, Texas, and Jon works in technical support with Dell. Allyson is still dancing, and competes in West Coast Swing at events around the United States. Kathryn L. Zeanah, Granville, Ohio, married Sue Borchers (Ohio State '05) on September 10, 2011, on Cape Cod. Kenyon friends in attendance included Megan E. Sheasby, Dana C. Halicki '05, Amy E. Thurber '07, Alisha "Lee" Moreno '08, and Anne E. Dugan '08. This fall, Katy will pursue her Ph.D. in school psychology at Ohio State University.
'07 Emily C. Martyn
Brattleboro, Vermont
ecmartyn@gmail.com
Megan Ahearn moved from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Washington, D.C., in mid-July to start her career as a foreign service officer. Meg will be posted somewhere overseas within a year or so. Lisa A. Hamer, San Francisco, California, has written to tell us that after becoming great friends with Charles T. Cottingham during their time at Kenyon, they graduated together again, this May, from the University of San Francisco. After graduation they were study partners again, preparing to take the California Bar exam at the end of July. Tucker has accepted a position with Strategen Consulting as policy director for the California Energy Storage Alliance in Berkeley, California, and Lisa has tentatively accepted a position with the Capital Post-Conviction Project of Louisiana in New Orleans, though she is also considering a one-year fellowship with Asylum Access, where she would live in Tanzania providing legal aid to Rwandan refugees. Elizabeth R. Howe married William G. Stanton '08 in June 2011. Their wedding party included Megan Ahearn, Leah A. M. Bachmann, Nelie G. Zanca, and Kyle G. Adams '08. Elizabeth is a registered nurse on a medical oncology floor at a hospital in Denver. Will has finished his third year at the University of Colorado and is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of mathematics. Elizabeth and Will live in Boulder, Colorado. Margaret M. Niehaus-Sauter married Andrew F. Fuchs on May 14, 2011, at the Summit Country Day School in Cincinnati, Ohio. Attendants in the wedding party included Elizabeth "Lisa" King, Laurel E. Clark, Diana M. Spahlinger, Brittain "Ian" Brantley, and William C. Lippert. Many other Kenyon alumni attended, including a large contingent from Beta Theta Pi. Margaret started her medical residency at Ohio State University in July, and Andy has started a law practice in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The couple lives in German Village in Columbus. Emily A. Plocki, Washington, D.C., graduated from Georgetown Law Center in May 2011 with her Master of Law (LL.M.) in taxation and certificate in estate planning. She has joined the Washington office of Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan as an associate and will focus her practice on income, estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax planning for individuals. Landree M. Rennpage, Mansfield, Ohio, is working on her "great American" fantasy novel. If any of her old friends or classmates are visiting Kenyon, she would love to see you. Mansfield is only about forty-five minutes from Gambier. Emma P. Rhodes married Robert L. Grabill '05 in Charleston, South Carolina, on May 21, 2011. Kenyon was well represented in the wedding party, with Anne H. Fallon and Stephanie L. Miller as bridesmaids and Ashton M. D. Todd '05 and Kieran B. Nulty '05 as groomsmen. Emma and Rob look forward to their first reunion as a married couple. They live in Chicago, Illinois. Patrick F. Shaw, Brooklyn, New York, wrote a musical entitled Unville Brazil, which was performed in June 2011 at The Drilling Company Theatre in Manhattan. Anneka M. Ward, New York City, is getting her R.N. degree and hoping to go on to become a family-specialized nurse practitioner. Robert R. Warnock, Chicago, Illinois, married Emily Curtis (Wisconsin '03) in September 2011. Bob is currently employed at Spot Trading in Chicago. Nelie G. Zanca, Atlanta, Georgia, is attending Goizueta Business School at Emory University this fall and is looking forward to seeing other Kenyon alumni on campus and in Atlanta.
'08 Hannah Rose Sacks
Washington, D.C.
hannahrosesacks@gmail.com
Rebecca Sundling
Plainwell, Michigan
rasundling@gmail.com
Rachel S. Dickson reports that after living for two years in Colombia, she is now living in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, working for School of Americas Watch (SOAW). Elena R. Fernandez, Fairbanks, Alaska, defended her master's thesis this summer on fisheries and oceanography. Allison M. Johnson, Tucson, Arizona, began the Eller M.B.A. program at the University of Arizona in August 2011. Allison also plans on pursuing a master of accounting degree. Jian "Jenny" Lu, Washington, D.C., began a master's degree in public policy at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University this fall. Agnese Melbarde married Michael Thomas Roberts in August 2011 in Riga, Latvia. Josephine Comas Bardot, Irina Ivan, Olga Novikova, and Lauren K. Burley all attended the wedding. Agnese met Michael while working at T. Rowe Price Associates. The couple live in Annapolis, Maryland. Jonathan E. Porobil and Allyson M. Whipple '06, Austin, Texas, celebrated three years of marriage in June 2011. Allyson has been hired as a junior editor at Siren-Bookstrand in Austin, and Jon works in technical support with Dell. Allyson is still dancing, and she competes in West Coast Swing at events around the United States. William G. Stanton married Elizabeth R. Howe '07 in June 2011. Kenyon was well represented in their wedding party, which included Megan Ahearn '07, Leah A. M. Bachmann '07, Nelie G. Zanca '07, and Kyle G. Adams. Elizabeth is a registered nurse on a medical oncology floor at a hospital in Denver. Will has finished his third year at the University of Colorado and is a Ph.D. candidate in the department of mathematics. Elizabeth and Will live in Boulder, Colorado. Gregory Z. Sussman, Chevy Chase, Maryland, reports that he is going back to law school. Michael A. Zabek moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, this fall to attend a Ph.D. program in economics at the University of Michigan, focusing on issues in labor economics and consumer finance. Over the past year, Mike has worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, for a research organization in Bihar, India, evaluating two health projects, and for the National Bureau of Economic Research on the Moving to Opportunity Project. Mike says, "I will be happy to be in the Midwest again for my Ph.D., and though I know grad school will never be as good as Kenyon, I'm excited to be a professional learner again."
'09 Philip L. Edmunds
Brooklyn, New York
Philipedmunds@gmail.com
Sarah J. May, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, started graduate school this fall at Case Western Reserve, studying social work. Justine E. Palacios, New York City, writes that after two years working at Fifth Avenue Committee, she has left the workforce to enroll in law school this fall. At the time of writing, Justine had been accepted at Tulane University in New Orleans, Brooklyn Law School in New York, and Northeastern University in Boston, with one school's response still outstanding. Paul Qualben, San Diego, California, reports that he has been working at the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California, this past year. Jena I. Shellito, New Orleans, Louisiana, reports that in 2010 she taught in Namibia with World Teach. Ryotaro Tashiro, Ann Arbor, Michigan, received his M.A. in economics from the University of Michigan in May 2011. Ryo is continuing on with the Ph.D. program.