Brandeis Magazine

Barbara Alpert is a senior medical editor working in medical communications. Barbara has also authored more than 30 books for young readers and more than 40 books for adults. She has been elected to the New York Road Runners Volunteer Hall of Fame and is active in battling food insecurity with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, which has nominated her to receive the New York Mayoral Service Recognition Award. Brian Cassie works with various organizations to help protect threatened and endangered species of butterflies in Massachusetts. Warren Feld is the author of the 2023 book “Conquering the Creative Marketplace: Between the Fickleness of Business and the Pursuit of Design.” Mindy Holland reports, “My seventh book and fourth novel, ‘Origin Unknown,’ was independently published in January. Some of the action takes place at Usen Castle, my dorm for three years. I live with my husband of 30-plus years in Santa Fe, New Mexico.” Ted Merriam recently retired after a 44-year career as a tax litigator in Denver. He and wife Donna have two married daughters; the younger is expecting her first child in July. Ted says his Brandeis mentor, Steve Whitfield, GSAS PhD’72, has been a positive influence in his life for many years. Ophthalmologist Jay Pepose, GSAS MA’75, P’08, P’17, serves on the scientific advisory board for OKYO Pharma Limited, an ophthalmology-focused biopharmaceutical company. Jay is a member of the Brandeis University Board of Fellows. After retiring from years of public service work in municipal and state government, Maria Magdalena Rodriguez is doing something she’s wanted to do since the third grade: writing books for children. Her first book, “A Midnight Symphony,” a novel about the plight of endangered animals, was published in January. A book about the endangered iguaca, also known as the Puerto Rican parrot, is in the works. Michael Zinder, a member of the Brandeis University Alumni Association board, attended a pitching clinic at Citi Field conducted by former Mets pitcher Nelson Figueroa ’98.