Brandeis Magazine

Rachel Zimmerman Brachman, who works for NASA in California, received a visionary award from the Women’s International Film and Television Showcase for an invention she created more than 25 years ago at age 12. As a sixth-grader at St. George’s public school in London, Ontario, she read a book about picture language as a way for people with disabilities to communicate. She realized what a breakthrough it was, but could also see its limits, since those using the symbols could only communicate with those who were right next to them. Using her home computer, she developed a software program so that non-speaking people with severe disabilities could still communicate. The project won first place in the London District science fair, took a silver medal at the national fair and was showcased in Bulgaria at a world exhibition of young inventors. “I only intended it to be my grade 7 science project,” she told the London Free Press. Rachel has worked for eight years at NASA’s jet propulsion laboratory in California, where she does public outreach and education on topics such as NASA’s Cassini mission to Saturn, which has been orbiting the planet since 2004. Debbie Rabitz Buchbinder and husband Jeffrey welcomed baby Emily Elizabeth on Oct. 19, 2011. Writes Debbie, “Big sister Hillary is very excited about her new role.” Rabbi Paulette Gross Posner and her husband, Jeremy, welcomed their third son on Feb. 13, 2011. Isaac Nathan joins big brothers Harry, 5, and Jacob, 3. Writes Paulette, “I am enjoying life in my locker room!” Meredith Rettinger ’98 and Roy Silver called to let us know that they have a daughter, Ella Danielle Silver, born Aug. 5, 2011. Meredith is a veterinarian at Laurel Pet Hospital, and Roy has an obstetrics and gynecology practice. They live in Los Angeles. Freshman Massachusetts State Rep. Tackey Chan was profiled in his hometown paper, The Patriot Ledger in Quincy. He recently finished his first year in the Massachusetts Statehouse. He and Rep. Donald Wong were the first Asian-Americans elected to the House. Steve Yadegari and his wife, Debi, welcomed their fourth child, Evan Ross, in the spring. Evan joins siblings Samara, 6, Zachary, 4, and Daniella, 3. Steve is a senior vice president and general counsel at Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn, an institutional-investment advising firm in New York. He is also the immediate past president of the Association for Conflict Resolution’s Greater New York chapter and an adjunct professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies.