Class Correspondent

Maria Ellis, who recently developed a new tool for the early detection of ovarian cancer and other diseases, was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. A board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist in private practice, she is on the faculty of the University of Connecticut’s School of Medicine and Quinnipiac’s Frank H. Netter School of Medicine. She is working with biomedical engineers, surgical technologists, nurses and physicians on clinical trials to bring her early-detection technology to patients. Risa (Glaser) Grimaldi and her husband, John, senior VP at Navigators Insurance, live on a lake in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Risa runs two businesses: Glaser Associates, a consulting firm for small and medium-size businesses; and TheSinglesGroup.com, New Jersey’s largest singles company, which offers singles events, matchmaking, dating coaching and singles travel. Risa and John’s daughter, Maria, is engaged. For the past two years, Risa has been grateful for the opportunity to care for her mother, Judith Yohay Glaser ’59, P’85, P’88, who has faced major health crises. Fortunately, Judith is doing well and sends her love to the many Brandeis alumni whom she met during her years as chair of Long Island’s Alumni Admissions Council. Frances (Short) Langum is associate editor of the liberal blog Crooks and Liars, as well as executive producer of The Professional Left podcast. Her three children are all teenagers. She lives in Springfield, Illinois, and would love to hear from her classmates at bluegalsblog@gmail.com. Jim Leahy, a Joseph M. Linsey Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame soccer goalkeeper, was back on the sidelines for the Judges at last fall’s NCAA Final Four, in Salem, Virginia. Jim served as a volunteer assistant for the 2016 team, working with the goalkeepers a couple of times a week. This year’s Final Four berth was Brandeis’ first since 1984, when Leahy’s team lost to Wheaton College in the Division III national final. Jonathan Silberman writes, “After 25 years as a residential contractor, I retired, went back to school and completed a master’s degree in education from the American Jewish University. I am now teaching high-school history and loving it.”
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