Alumni Class Notes

The Alumni Office is delighted to publish the following news items and updates from HM graduates all over the world. Please email any personal or professional news you wish to share to alumni@horacemann.org.

Four friends from the Class of 1951 gathered for a celebratory dinner in New York to commemorate their 90^th birthdays. Pictured at right (from left to right) are Elliot Gross ’51, Ralph Abrams ’51, Ed Froelich ’51, and Evan Janovic ’51.

Arnie Cohen of the Class of 1956 penned this poem to honor his friend and classmate, Bob Wilson '56:

Willie (For Bob Wilson ’56)

His glory bit into the dirt,

His touchdowns forgotten

The crowds, the applause up ahead

The banner up above waving when the crowd roar.

Jim Nach ’59 traveled with his wife Thuy to HM from their home in Falls Church, VA, to attend the 65^th Reunion Luncheon for the Class of 1959 on June 1^st.. Upon their return home from the June 1st event, Jim shared his reflections about HM’s evolution with the Alumni Office in this thoughtful and moving note:

I was astounded by all the changes to the student body and to the physical plant. One thing, though, remains the same, the goal of producing well-educated graduates.

 Before HM, I attended Yonkers public schools through junior high school (middle school). When I met the HM admissions director, he asked the inevitable question, why did I want to go to Horace Mann? I told him I didn't and that it was my parents' idea.  

 I did receive a fine education at HM, but I gave up a lot:  a coed school system, ethnic variety (we elected a Black student our class president), and good teachers. At HM, I found I was to be turned into a member of the English upper class, complete with "forms" and chapel. Fortunately, we had an English exchange student who showed us that there was a lot more to his country than Eton.

Thanks to your tour and explanations, it's evident to me that all that "bad stuff" is long gone. The high price tag is a problem, but a well-funded scholarship program can help bridge the gap.

 After our visit to HM we stopped by my old house in Yonkers. It's now owned by the daughter of the college professor to whom my parents sold it. She and her husband had visitors. They happened to be Black. I was still wearing my HM badge. The son of the visitors saw it and told me:  "I'm going there this fall." That bookended my day at HM.

The Reverend Dr. Peter C. Bower ’64 is still the pastor of Baldwin Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh, PA. He also continues as editor-in-chief of Studia Liturgica, the journal of the International Liturgical Society. The peer-reviewed journal, published twice per year, was founded in 1962 as an international ecumenical review for liturgical research and renewal.

A new article by Justice Gordon Goodman '71 on the ethics of artificial intelligence was recently published by the University of California Law San Francisco’s business journal and can be accessed here:  https://repository.uclawsf.edu/hastings_business_law_journal/vol20/iss2/5/

Gordon delivered a speech entitled “Keynote Address on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence” at the University of California Law San Francisco's AI Symposium in April 2024. He shared with us his remarks:  https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#search/gordo/FMfcgzQVzFTRSQhCtlDkzbtMJscmgXNz?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2

The agenda for the symposium was quite eye-opening and is available here:  https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#search/gordo/FMfcgzQVzFTRSQhCtlDkzbtMJscmgXNz?projector=1&messagePartId=0.3

We received an email from artist and independent curator Steven Lowy ’76, who heads the fine art firm Portico New York, Inc., with offices in Soho and Kent, CT. The firm specializes in 20^th Century Modernist paintings, drawings, and sculpture with an emphasis on artists from the “Founding Collection” of the Guggenheim Museum. Portico recently mounted a pop-up exhibition “Op Art” at the Gregory James Gallery in New Milford, CT, from July 19^th to August 11^th.  A follow up show of work by Rolph Scarlett will follow in September. You can view the exhibition invitation here:  https://mailchi.mp/86375071567a/spring-newsletter-17304982?e=96666661ac

Writer, director, and producer Page Hurwitz ’86 is known for her work in the comedy realm. This summer, her most recent project, Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution, was released on Netflix. The documentary explores the history of LGBTQ+ stand-up comedy, considering its importance as an instrument for social change over the past five decades.

Colonel Seth Morgulas ’89 was honored at a New York Army National Guard retirement celebration in March. He  received awards and gifts during a ceremony that paid homage to his 31 years of service to the nation at Camp Smith Training Site, Cortlandt Manor, NY. Seth, who is a Scarsdale resident, served in numerous leadership and staff positions during his career, including platoon leader, company commander, battalion commander, and brigade commander, to name a few. For additional photos please visit:    https://lnkd.in/eJqHrBvx

Rob Simmelkjaer ’89, CEO of New York Road Runners (NYRR), announced that NYRR is partnering with Runna to provide AI-powered personalized training for everyone running the 2024 TCS NYC Marathon and other races. Plans went on sale on June 18^th. For information, visit https://lnkd.in/eSePf5fr.

Bret Parker ’86 is planning his next feat of endurance – his first ultramarathon! – by running/walking all 32 miles of the Manhattan coastline on September 28^th. Seventeen years ago at age 38, Bret was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Every year for the past decade, he has accomplished something epic to raise money for research aimed at finding a cure. You can learn more about his story and contribute by visiting:  https://give.michaeljfox.org/fundraiser/5622717

Dr. Bobby Buka ’92 was a finalist for the 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award.  He is the CEO of The Dermatology Specialists, which brings high quality cutaneous medicine to neighborhoods where it has never before existed. The company has launched 50 locations and 120 providers over the last five years, all aimed at bringing medical care to the underserved urban neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Long Island, Delaware, and Philadelphia. They offer ground-floor, high-access care and accept the uninsured and underinsured. Bobby is also the author of two books on skin health: Buka’s Emergencies in Dermatology and Top 50 Dermatology Case Studies for Primary Care. He is a clinical instructor at Mount Sinai Hospital and a board-certified member of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Andrea Cortes-Comerer ’01 has been a regular fixture in the New York City chamber chorus Amor Artis and other choirs for nearly 20 years. A music and economics major at Columbia University, Andie has always balanced musical and corporate work. She recently wrote a piece in memory of a dear family friend entitled, “This is Hanukkah,” which will be premiered by Amor Artis on December 8^th at their holiday concert in SoHo. She encourages all in the HM community to attend. It’s always a fun event!

Chris Scholz ’01 has started a new position as director of engineering, infrastructure at Blackbird.AI. (Source:  LinkedIn)

Sarah Seltzer ’01, whose first book The Singer Sisters is being released this summer – and who is profiled in the Alumni Publications section of this e-newsletter – has hosted a number of promotional events recently. On July 16^th, she was a visiting writer at Vermont College of Fine Arts. On August 14^th, she participated wih Rob Sheffield in a launch of her book at The Strand. Later in August, Sarah is participating in the Dream Away reading series in the Berkshires, appearing at Newtonville Books in the Boston area with Judy Bolton-Fasman, and making a stop at Gramercy Books in Bexley, OH.

Fitness by Zoe (FBZ), founded by Zoe Schwartz ’04, is the only boutique fitness expert that helps high-achievers reclaim control of their health without sacrificing their ambition. The company’s approach combines mindset coaching, time management strategies, and personalized workouts that help you prioritize your well-being. FBZ holds the following certifications:  American Council on Exercise Personal Trainer, Youth Fitness Specialist and Behavior Change Specialist; CPR/AED; and MBA from The University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

Stephanie Chou ’05 and her quintet will appear at Joe’s Pub at the Public on Wednesday, October 23^rd to perform Chinatown Dreams, a songwriting album following the journey of a young, second-generation Chinese-American woman, as she and her Chinatown community go through a year of tremendous challenges. This semi-autobiographical story examines the conflict between choosing the safe, expected path vs. following one's heart, a conflict so many second-generation Americans of all sorts face. Chinatown Dreams is a concept album written for her band, with lyrics in English and Mandarin. The music combines the energy of improvised jazz with the precision of progressive rock, in an homage to Manhattan's Chinatown.

“A stunning work that not only shines light on a dark chapter of history but also feels inspirational for contemporary listeners.” – DownBeat

“One of New York’s most socially relevant and ambitious jazz talents." - New York Music Daily

For info and tickets:  https://publictheater.org/productions/joes-pub/2024/s/stephanie-chou-oct/

$30 (inclusive of service fee)

Use Code "DREAM20" for $20 tickets (a $5 discount)

There is a 2 drink or 1 food item minimum, per person, during every show at Joe's Pub.

Trailer video: https://youtu.be/MVsSf8Ugt1c

Gabriella Ferrara ’08, chief operating officer of her family’s company Ferrara Manufacturing, was profiled in a recent video by InStyle highlighting their success in making Team USA’s uniforms and leisurewear for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The video featured a tour of the company’s facility in Long Island City. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgodhQnPn7E

Jenny Clark Schiff ’08 is officially Dr. Schiff! As she writes, “I passed my dissertation defense (with no revisions!) for my PhD in philosophy from The Graduate Center of the City University of New York! Excited to be joining the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics as the clinical ethics fellow for the next two years.”

Dana Covo Dorfman '09 and her husband Ian welcomed their first child, Maia Sarah Dorfman, on May 28^th at 2:17 pm. Both Dana and Maia are doing great! Maia was named for her great-grandmother Grace Rosenberg, known to her grandchildren as "Mommom" and her great-grandfather, Mino Covo. Sarah was her great-grandmother, Sarah Covo. (Photos courtesy of the Dorfman family.)

Ben Jacobson ’09 has announced he is joining the United States Marine Corps Reserves. He left active duty six years ago but felt the call to serve again and is excited about serving his country again.

April Koh ’10, CEO of the mental health startup Spring Health, shared via LinkedIn that the company announced a Series E funding round of $100 million with a valuation of $3.3 billion. She co-founded the company eight years ago in a Yale student dining hall with a dream of using data to transform mental healthcare. The company has grown to 1,200 employees and more than 10,000 providers. April writes, “By providing world-class mental healthcare and lowering costs for employers, we believe we are on track to build one of the world’s most valuable companies.”

Nicholas Demas ’11 started a new position as AVP of Opportunistic Credit at Golub Capital.

Arlinda Hasandjekaj ‘11 and Margot Penn ‘11 traveled this summer to Peru where they sampled local cuisine, explored cities, and climbed Machu Picchu!

Sophie Miller ’11 spent the summer working at Flagship Pioneering in Boston, MA, as one of their 2024 fellows. Flagship is a biotechnology company that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple transformative human health and sustainability products. Sophie focused on venture creation, working alongside a talented group of scientists and entrepreneurs. She returns to Caltech this fall to complete her PhD in chemical engineering.

Eden Sung ’12 has taken on a new role as COO for the Legal Vocation Fellowship. As she shared on LinkedIn, “In this role, I'm looking forward to supporting LVF in its vision of equipping and encouraging Christian legal practitioners to understand the integration of their faith in their day to day work.”

Sophie Mann of the Class of 2014 shared on LinkedIn that she will be pursuing an MBA degree at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. As she concluded a nearly two-year run at DailyMail.com, Sophie shared, ”This decision marks a pivotal step towards achieving my long-term career goals in the media and entertainment industry, and I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead at Darden."

Michael Lighten ’15 has started a new position as a senior associate and banker at JP Morgan Private Bank. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School.

As Noah Berman ’17 shared on LinkedIn, he didn’t think that the saga that began when he dropped his girlfriend’s phone into a storm drain would end with both its (mostly) safe return and his first newspaper essay, which you can read here:  Storm Drain Miracle

Tutor Intelligence, the company founded by Josh Gruenstein ’17, has released a video that showcases the Tutor’s robots in their work for Y International USA, part of multi-billion conglomerate Lulu Group International that operates one of the largest retail chains in Asia and the largest in the Middle East. Read the article and watch the video here:

https://www.packworld.com/secondary-packaging/robotics/article/22914613/cpg-exporter-y-international-invests-in-aibased-raas-packaging-automation

Maxime Guilbaud ’19 has started a new position at Ramp as a sales development representative. According to the company, Ramp powers the fastest-growing corporate card and bill payment platform in America.

Julia Hornstein ’19 is an editorial intern at The Information, a “global publication committed to original reporting and in-depth analysis of the technology industry.” The Information is based in San Francisco, CA.

Sam Keimweiss '20 began an internship in the office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. He encourages anyone who is in Washington, DC to connect with him to "discuss all things politics and health policy as [he] continues [his] path toward a full-time role on the Hill." (Source:  LinkedIn)

Helena Kopans-Johnson ’20 graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Colby College in May, with

honors and distinction in government. She has started a new position as a research associate at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). She will be responsible for assisting fellows in the David Rockefeller Studies Program as they grapple with challenges in international trade, such as economic security, supply chain resilience, climate change and sustainability, digital trade and e-commerce, and broader threats to global economic governance under a rules-based order. Helena will also be conducting research for CFR's weekly podcast, The World Next Week. (Source:  LinkedIn)

Return to The Lion's Pride - Summer 2024