Class Correspondent

The New York Times recently profiled Michael Ostrow and his wife, Laurie Kline, who operate a back therapy center in New York. According to the story, Michael was studying Buddhism at the San Francisco Zen Center following his graduation from Brandeis with a philosophy degree when he began to experience severe back pain during meditation sessions. A fellow student told him about the rejuvenating properties of the Alexander Technique, and after several lessons he switched from Zen to studying the technique and ultimately trained to teach it. Michael and Laurie have operated the New York Center for the Alexander Technique near Union Square since 1990. William Gorin is president of MFA Financial, where he has also served as executive vice president and chief financial officer. Prior to joining MFA in 1997, he worked for PaineWebber; Kidder, Peabody; Shearson Lehman; and E.F. Hutton. Robin Blount, who has worked in disability services for more than two decades, was named to the Georgia State Rehabilitation Council. She is the education services director for Parent to Parent of Georgia, which serves families of children with disabilities and special health-care needs through age 26. Robin is also responsible for oversight of the state’s Parent Training and Information Center. She began working at the Georgia Advocacy Office as a staff attorney serving people with disabilities. Robin has five children, including one with multiple disabilities. More than 100 celebrated authors and presenters gathered in Copley Square on Oct. 15 for the third annual Boston Book Festival, which was organized by festival founder Deborah Porter. The program featured Pulitzer Prize winners, Civil War historians, political leaders, world-renowned scientists, thought leaders, stars from the world of children’s literature, celebrated novelists, poets and philosophers. Mark Shirman, the founder, president and CEO of GlassHouse Technologies, joined the board of directors at Mobiquity, which designs, builds and deploys mobile systems. Last year Mark won Ernst & Young’s CEO of the Year Award for New England. Marcia Myers Weske works for McGuire Real Estate in Oakland, Calif. She spent more than 20 years as a family therapist before changing careers. She has worked for Mark & Associates, a firm specializing in placement services for legal professionals, and BHG Mason McDuffie. Anne Katz is executive director of Arts Wisconsin, the state’s community arts action, service and development organization. The group’s mission is to nurture, serve, promote and speak up for the arts in Wisconsin and all of its communities. She was recognized in 2009 as one of the 25 most powerful arts leaders in the country, according to “Barry’s Blog,” an influential and widely read arts blog written by former California Arts Council director Barry Hessenius.
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