Class Correspondent

Wellesley College chemistry professor Adele Wolfson was elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for her distinguished contributions to undergraduate biochemistry and molecular biology curriculum innovation and education, and for increasing participation of underrepresented groups. Renowned bioethicist Arthur Caplan received the National Science Board’s Public Service Award for fostering public understanding of science and engineering. He is the founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University Langone Medical Center. Known as the go-to expert on ethics, medicine and science, Arthur has long been a trailblazer in raising awareness about the ethical questions that accompany scientific and technological advances. Philip Meyer’s new book, “Storytelling for Lawyers,” references popular films and literature to emphasize the importance of storytelling in all aspects of legal practice. Jay Watkins returned to Parsons, an engineering and construction services firm, as vice president of strategic development. He spent the past seven years as CEO at a project and construction management company. Gerald Zerkin, a leading capital defense attorney who represented 9/11 bomber Zacarias Moussaoui, received the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Award from the Virginia State Bar’s Criminal Law Section. Gerald, who began his legal career in 1976, in 2001 became senior litigator in the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Eastern District of Virginia, responsible for defending federal capital cases. Richard Kopley retired as distinguished professor of English emeritus from Penn State DuBois. He continues his work on Poe and Hawthorne, and writes short fiction and children’s books. He recently became a grandfather. Deborah Abramson retired in December 2013 after more than 30 years as a staff and supervising attorney at Family Court Legal Services in New York City. She says she’s still getting used to not working every day, and is enjoying life in the city and Woodstock, N.Y. Trustee Allen Alter was named president of the board for FEGS Health & Human Services, which delivers care to more than 12,000 people in the New York area every year. He has served on the organization’s board since 1988. In October 2014, Sally Broff became president of the San Diego chapter of SCORE, a national organization that mentors new and existing small businesses. Victoria Free Presser was elected to a three-year term as northeast region vice president at the National School Public Relations Association. Grover “Cleve” Gil­more has served as dean of the Mandel School at Case Western Reserve University since 2002. He was recently appointed to a new endowed professorship, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Dean in Applied Social Sciences. Billy Keyserling writes from Beaufort, S.C.: “All is well in sunny South Carolina, where I am the mayor of the best little city in the world. Pretty much retired from doing things I do not want to do; have a wonderful woman friend from Genoa, Italy, who lives on Long Island and in New York City.” Barbara Greenwald-Sheinfeld retired after a pioneering 40-year career in commercial banking, which included serving as executive president of the Women’s National Bank, becoming a senior regional credit officer at one of the country’s largest commercial banks, and serving on national task forces that created the foundation for programs now offered by the Small Business Administration. When she began a management training program at a major New York City bank in 1973 (the first year women were accepted into such programs), only 21 women had made it to the rank of vice president at the country’s seven largest commercial banks. Sergio Marshall checks in from Chile, where he is a full professor in molecular genetics at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso. He served as vice rector of the school from 2000-10 and established a doctoral program in biotechnology and a biotechnology center. Paul Bikoff wrote “A JuneBug Recipe: The Secret Ingredients for What’s Been Ailing You.” The book celebrates Paul’s 50 wondrous years with his sister, Junie, who passed away after a heroic battle with colon cancer, and discusses his yoga path to finding a nonchemo, nonsurgical, nonradiation cure for all cancer. Jackie Diamond Hyman and her husband of 35 years, Kurt Wilson, report the engagements of both their sons — Ari, a graduate of Vanderbilt, and Hunter, a graduate of the University of Arizona. Writing as Jacqueline Diamond, Jackie has sold more than 95 novels, including medical romances and mysteries. Jackie and Kurt live in Orange County, Calif. A painting by Marjorie Waltman Feldman is the cover image for a new book, “The New Diaspora: The Changing Landscape of American Jewish Fiction.” Rita Ryack is an award-winning film and theater costume designer who has worked with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Barry Levinson, John Travolta and Michael Jackson. She loves exotic travel and has visited all seven continents.

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