Class Correspondent

Spencer Ackerman lives in Brighton, Massachusetts, with his wife, Shelley Barron, and his longhaired Siberian cat, Jaxson. Spencer and Shelley were married in August 2015 at the Royal Sonesta, in Cambridge. Spencer, who is enjoying his career as an actuary at Delaware Life, just received the ASA designation. Lily Adams, the communications director for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in Iowa, was profiled in The Des Moines Register. Since graduating from Brandeis, she has worked on political races in Virginia, Ohio and Connecticut, and served a year and a half as deputy communications director for the Democratic National Committee. Politics runs in Lily’s family: She’s the oldest grandchild of former Texas Gov. Ann Richards. Mirza Amiri is a financial adviser at Scotiabank and lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and daughter. He formerly worked in a variety of positions for the Afghan government but was forced to leave that country due to deteriorating security. Erik Blutinger finished medical school after completing his master’s in health policy, planning and financing at University College of London. In July 2015, he began emergency-medicine residency training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Andrew Brooks was re-elected town treasurer in New Canaan, Connecticut. He is a senior consultant at Deloitte, where he designs and implements governance, regulatory and risk-strategy consulting solutions for the financial-services industry. Caroline Cadel teaches middle-school social studies in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and serves on the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports leadership team. Ariel Fried married Greg Coppola in Boston on June 7, 2015. They enjoyed a wonderful celebration surrounded by dozens of Brandeis alumni, including Ariel’s parents, Ron and Rhonda, both ’78, P’09, P’12, P’15; sister Rachel ’12; and brother Zachary ’15. Justin Kang, executive director of City Awake, a social-impact nonprofit, was featured in a Boston Globe story about motivating millennials to support charitable organizations. Justin says nonprofits should give millennials “something tangible to do,” such as volunteering. In addition, he says, to connect with young donors nonprofits must “really communicate” their story. Jessica Kent, selected as a Coro Fellow in Public Affairs, has completed placements at the YWCA Santa Monica/Westside, City Services in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Fraser Communications. She is a board member of the National Campus Leadership Council. Sam Negin, IBS MA’12, founded a firm that specializes in health-care and government consulting. Lara Rosenwasser Newman and Daniel Newman, of Louisville, Kentucky, welcomed a baby boy, Marco Edward, on May 13, 2015. Ashley Sauerhof married Samuel Jaffe on Oct. 3, 2015, at the Woodbury (New York) Jewish Center. They were surrounded by many Brandeis friends, who flew in from near and far. Elizabeth Shestakova is an economic research analyst at Hancock Natural Resource Group. She lives in Newton, Massachusetts. When Emily Spector married Mike Greenberg ’08 on Aug. 23, 2014, in Chicago, alumni from the Classes of 1967, 1994, 2008, 2009 and 2010 were in attendance. Emily’s father is William Spector ’67, Heller PhD’81, P’09. Lea Winkler, MAT’10, general-studies teacher and STEM coordinator at Cohen Hillel Academy, in Marblehead, Massachusetts, won the 2015 Pomegranate Prize from the Covenant Foundation. The prize, established in 2011, recognizes emerging leaders in Jewish education. Each Pomegranate Prize awardee receives $15,000 to generate new educational ventures and spur their own evolution as leaders in their community and in Jewish education.

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TIES THAT BIND: Ariel Fried ’09 married Greg Coppola in Boston on June 7, 2015, surrounded by dozens of Brandeis alumni, including Ariel’s parents, Ron and Rhonda, both ’78, P’09, P’12, P’15; sister Rachel ’12; and brother Zachary ’15.

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UNITED AS ONE: Emily Spector ’09 married Mike Greenberg ’08 on Aug. 23, 2014, in Chicago before a host of alumni, including Emily’s father, William ’67, Heller PhD’81, P’09.

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