Class Notes Spring 2025
Class Notes
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Dorothy Rosenberg, B.A. ’41, recently celebrated her 106th birthday.
Charles W. Chapman, B.A. ’51, M.A. ’59, in uniform in the 1940s and at his 100th birthday celebration with family in 2024.
100 Years of Learning
Charles W. Chapman, B.A. ’51, M.A. ’59, recently celebrated his 100th birthday. A Virginia native, Chapman balanced full-time work at the D.C. Parole Board with night classes at GW, earning degrees in accounting and public administration. He later built a career at the Office of Naval Research, eventually serving as budget officer. Though his time on campus was limited, Chapman remembers the spirit of “Hail to the Buff—Hail to the Blue.” His advice after a century of life: “Learning doesn't stop with graduation—keep abreast of new things and ideas.”
Ricky (Bradley) Gibbons, B.A. ’68, taught German for the Army and translated for the London and Paris Air Shows. She retired in Winchester, Va., after living in Europe for 34 years.
Lawrence Levine, B.A. ’63, is proud that his granddaughter is a sophomore at GW.
Glen Simmons, B.A. ’69, continues to sell real estate with VIP Realty Group Sales on Sanibel Island, Fla., at age 86.
Virginia Spivey, B.A. ’69, has worked in education in Covelo, Calif., since 1982. Living off the grid since 1978, she serves a high school where 55% of students are Native American and 35% are immigrants, a role she finds deeply rewarding.
John Norville, M.S. ’68, recently retired from Westinghouse, where he served as department manager of quality assurance.
Ron Wohl, B.A. ’65, was an applied psychological anthropologist specializing in government and Fortune 500 communication strategies through his consulting firm, In Plain English. Now retired, he is an award-winning poet.
Dennis Carroll, B.A. ’78, retired as chief editor at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2008. He now splits time between Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Manhattan with his husband.
Hazel Weiser, B.A. ’70, is working to enact the Democracy During Detention bill after completing a statewide survey on voting access for detainees in New York.
Steven Anderson, J.D. ’82, has joined Becker as a shareholder. With over 35 years of experience, he represents cooperatives, condominiums and homeowners’ associations across New York City and surrounding areas.
David Campbell, M.B.A. ’87, was promoted to CEO of Chernoff Newman, an integrated marketing and communications agency with offices in Orlando, Charlotte, Charleston, S.C., and Columbia, S.C. He previously served as COO.
Robert M. Greenbaum, B.B.A. ’84, an attorney at Karalis P.C., was recognized as a Pennsylvania “super lawyer” for 2025 by Thomson Reuters for his work in bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, insolvency and reorganization law, and litigation-bankruptcy.
Gillian Marcelle, M.B.A. ’87, founder of Resilience Capital Ventures LLC, was named to Forbes' list of 50 Over 50: Investment, which highlights the women shaping the way money flows in the United States and beyond. She was named to the list for her influential work in blended finance and advancing diversity, inclusion and alignment with the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Christopher Myers, B.A. ’84, published his 13th book and fifth academic book on marketing, “Brand Marketing” (Cognella Academic Publishing, 2025), available on Amazon and Cognella Academic Publishing.
Bob Rendine, B.A. ’84, was appointed interim chief communications officer for Acrisure, a global fintech leader with $5 billion in revenue.
John Roberts, B.B.A. ’89, partner and senior portfolio manager at Corient, delivered a guest lecture in Professor Christine Song’s Applied Financial Securities Analysis class, sharing insights on market trends and key financial data points.
Michael Toledo, B.A. ’88, retired as a registered nurse from Columbia University Medical Center and lives in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Douglas Vander Wal, B.A. ’84, M.A. ’89, worked in accounting in the aerospace field and played for the George Washington basketball team from 1981–84. He now lives in New Jersey.
Glenn Wood, LL.M. ’85, chair of Rubin and Rudman’s environmental and land use group, was named to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Environmental Lawyers list, recognizing top talent in the field.
Adele L. Abrams, J.D. ’95, was named senior counsel at Littler. Vian Shamounki Borchert, B.A. ’96, became the art lead and curator of “Oxford Public Philosophy Journal” at Oxford University. She has exhibited at Perseus Gallery in Soho, New York City, and Medinaceli DeArte Museum Contemporaneo
in Spain.
Ann Coffin, J.D. ’93, has joined Baker Botts LLP as a partner in its global projects practice in Austin. A renowned energy law expert, she focuses on electric, gas and water utilities.
Tod Cohen, J.D. ’92, has joined Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP as a partner in the firm’s digital and technology group. He specializes in AI, data protection, antitrust and intellectual property law.
Dean Conway, J.D. ’92, has joined Carlton Fields as a shareholder in its securities litigation and enforcement practice after leaving his position at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Brenna Gottier Fastiggi, B.A. ’90, was elected to the board of directors of The Hartford Saengerbund. Pamela Howard, B.A. ’96, has supported mothers in finding joy in parenthood through her podcast, book, counseling and coaching for over two decades.
Katayun Jaffari, J.D. ’95, was installed as chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the oldest bar association in the United States. She is chair of the Corporate Governance and ESG Practices and co-chair of the Capital Markets & Securities Practice at Cozen O’Connor.
Max Klau, B.A. ’94, will publish his second book, “Developing Servant Leaders at Scale: How to Do It and Why It Matters” (Emerald Publishing Limited), in August 2025. The book includes a foreword by Harvard Business School professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter.
Evan Koster, J.D. ’90, has joined Baker Botts LLP as a partner in its corporate practice and head of its derivatives practice in New York. He has over 20 years of experience in derivatives, commodities and energy trading.
Marlo Lyons, B.A. ’92, authored “Wanted -> My First Career: The Definitive Playbook for Landing Your First Job in a Fulfilling Career” (Future Forward Publishing LLC, 2024), which received a recommendation from the U.S. Review of Books.
Greggor Mattson, B.A. ’97, released an expanded paperback version of his book “Who Needs Gay Bars?” (Redwood Press, 2023), and is professor and chair of sociology at Oberlin College & Conservatory.
Holly Rymon, B.A. ’90, has worked in film and television for 30 years. As a producer on HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” she is proud that the show was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series.
Lori Schlenker, M.A. ’95, was promoted to associate director for collections and facilities at the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum in Lawrence, Kan.
Brian Shively, B.A. ’93, works at Beavercreek Schools in Ohio. His son, William, is a first-year Clark Scholar at GW studying civil engineering.
Luis Torres, J.D. ’98, joined Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC as a member of its energy and sustainability practice. He was previously a partner at Dentons.
Skiing a Backcountry Kingdom:
Julie McGuire, B.A. ’01, Earns Her Crown as Catskills “Queen”
By Alan Wechsler
The path for Julie McGuire, B.A. ’01, to becoming known as the “Queen of the Catskills” began after a personal low point. On April 18, 2018, she returned home from her job as a New York City English teacher to find her wife waiting. They had been planning to start a family, but her partner ended their five-year relationship, devastating McGuire. She found solace in hiking the nearby Catskills, then joined a women’s backcountry skiing clinic in Chile and made a new goal: to be the first woman to ski all 33 Catskill peaks over 3,500 feet. Last December, she completed the feat after four winters. “I felt like the universe wants me to ski,” she said.
Backcountry skiing in the Catskills is no easy task. Skiers “earn their turns” with “skins” that stick onto a ski base for the ascent and are removed for downhill. Unlike Western ranges with open bowls, the Catskills have thick woods, cliffs, rocks and little snow—last year, she skied just one day. McGuire started cautiously, keeping skins on or bouncing from tree to tree—what she called “survival skiing.” She eventually gained confidence, straight-lining narrow trails and jumping off cliffs. In one grueling trip with the first man to ski these peaks, her guide vomited from exertion.
Her hardest trip came on Sugarloaf Mountain. Solo on a weekday after a storm, she spent hours after dark with no cell service, navigating a buried trail by headlamp.
The nickname “Queen” began with a pink Catskills T-shirt she bought at a gift shop, often worn in photos and during virtual teaching sessions. While skiing helped her heal, she said, “It’s kind of like a hero’s journey.”
Now, she’s aiming even higher: skiing the 100 highest peaks. “They’re really obscure,” she said. “A lot of them I can’t even find on a map.”
Ian Barlow, J.D. ’09, has joined Wiley Rein LLP as counsel. A former Federal Trade Commission official, he brings nearly a decade of experience, including serving as a deputy director in the Office of Policy Planning.
Taria Barron, J.D. ’06, joined the American Public Transportation Association as general counsel after serving as attorney-adviser in the general law and ethics division of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
Lesley Bryant, B.A. ’03, is the owner of Lady Clipper Barber Shop in Washington, D.C., a business entirely run by women of color.
Jason Buchsbaum, B.A. ’02, was recently elected as the Connecticut state representative for the 69th House District, representing Bridgewater, Roxbury, Southbury and New Milford. In the current legislative session, he serves on the Commerce Committee, the Energy and Technology Committee, and the Public Safety and Security Committee.
Tessa Campbell, B.A. ’07, is a manager at Deloitte in the digital and analytics team, supporting talent innovation and solutions.
Dohm Chankong, J.D. ’09, was elected director at Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox. A member of the electronics practice group, he specializes in intellectual property management for electronics and communication technologies.
Teresa Diaz, M.A. ’00, opened Red Dot Art Gallery in Oaxaca City, specializing in contemporary Oaxacan artists and hosting multidisciplinary events, including artist talks, tours, workshops and performances.
Kyle Hepner, B.S.’05, J.D. ’08, was elected partner at Robinson Cole. He is a member of the firm’s intellectual property and technology group and artificial intelligence team.
Felix Kushnir, J.D. ’06, has joined Fox Rothschild as a partner in the corporate department in Washington, D.C. He represents corporate and private equity clients in major transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and securities matters.
Seth Locke, J.D. ’08, has joined WilmerHale’s defense, national security and government contracts group. William Malone, M.B.A. ’05, was named the vice president and head of agency at the insurance company Hippo.
Christina Mauricio, B.A. ’08, is an assistant principal at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, N.Y., and supervises the world languages and English departments.
Shawnte Mitchell, J.D. ’04, was appointed chief legal officer and corporate secretary of Olema Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company.
Amy Moses, J.D. ’04, was appointed U.S. magistrate judge for the District of Rhode Island. She previously served as director of the Conservation Law Foundation Rhode Island.
Nicky (Evry) Norkin, B.A. ’05, is a therapist in private practice in New York City.
Lisa Porter, M.A. ’07, is a program function manager of volunteer systems for FIRST, a global robotics community. She lives in Germantown, Md., with her husband, son and two cats.
Alison Pruchansky, M.A. ’07, is the exhibition and curation manager at Artists for Humanity in Boston, Mass. She continues to create art and shares her work on Instagram as @ample.art.
Rudy Rodas, B.B.A. ’08, was named managing director of policy, research and government affairs for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Robert P. Vacchiano, B.A. ’08, was elevated to partner at Riker Danzig. Vacchiano represents insurers and reinsurers in a broad range of complex insurance matters. He also assists businesses with legal issues relating to cyber insurance, cyberattacks, ransomware, data breaches and other privacy- and security-related matters.
Russell Vought, J.D. ’04, was confirmed by the Senate as the director of the Office of Management and Budget in President Trump’s administration.
Michael Williams, J.D. ’09, is now the solicitor general for the state of West Virginia. He represents the state in strategic litigation and appeals, including cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Patrick (Drew) Woodward, B.A. ’08, is the development director for the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, empowering local climate action through a network of local governments and partners.
Gil Ben-Ezra, J.D. ’15, was elevated to partner at Meland Budwick, P.A. Since joining in 2020, he has contributed significantly to the firm’s commercial litigation and financial fraud practice groups.
Sarah Bradley, M.A. ’15, is an independent consultant based in Vienna, Austria, working at the intersection of philanthropy and activism to shift funding flows toward grassroots power-
building efforts.
Alexander Callo, J.D. ’16, was promoted to counsel at Saul Ewing LLP. He represents clients in high-stakes intellectual property disputes, including pharmaceutical patent litigation under the Hatch-Waxman Act.
Kristopher Dane, D.Eng. ’18, now leads Thornton Tomasetti’s global crowd dynamics capability and protective design practice from the firm’s Seattle office.
Matthew DeGioia, B.A. ’13, J.D. ’20, owns and operates DeGioia Law, PLLC, specializing in estate planning and disability benefits in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. He also serves as a staff attorney with Christian Legal Aid of D.C.
Kristin Elia, J.D. ’17, was promoted to counsel at Venable LLP. She focuses on commercial real estate matters, guiding clients through sales, acquisitions, financing, leasing and development.
Elizabeth Enright, M.A. ’14, lives in Richmond, Va., with her husband, Evan, and their three-year-old daughter, Eva. She underwent a lung transplant in June and is now pursuing her passion for abstract painting.
John Formella, J.D. ’12, was elected president of the National Association of Attorneys General during its annual Capital Forum meeting in December. As New Hampshire’s attorney general, he emphasized the importance of bipartisan collaboration in addressing major issues such as the opioid crisis and drug trafficking.
Nichol Gabor, M.A. ’19, is a fashion historian and the Nathalie L. Klaus Curator of Costume and Textiles at The Valentine museum in Richmond, Va.
Courtney Hawkins, M.A. ’19, began a new role as a museum curator with the National Park Service, overseeing a four-year project to refine the George Washington Memorial Parkway's historic collection.
Jacqueline Hazlett, M.A. ’17, is a senior analyst at FINRA and the founder of a local animal outreach program dedicated to wildlife rescue.
Bryan Hilley, M.A. ’15, is the associate registrar at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University.
Hannibal Hopson, B.A. ’18, is an artist, producer and fashion designer working between Houston, Mérida, Mexico, and Southern Africa.
Sacred B. Huff, J.D. ’19, was promoted to senior associate at Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch in Washington, D.C. Her practice focuses on employment discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and claims under the Family and Medical Leave Act.
Molly Kunselman, M.A. ’13, launched MKD Interiors, a full-service design studio, after more than a decade working for prestigious firms in Washington, D.C., and teaching interior design.
AnnaBeth Lawless, B.A. ’15, has joined the staff at the Institute for Defense Analyses, contributing her expertise to the organization’s research and analysis efforts.
Zoerina Ledwidge, B.A. ’18, is an RN and doula experience specialist at Mae, a healthcare startup.
Daniel Lippman, B.A. ’12, is a White House and Washington reporter for Politico, where he has spent over a decade covering the political landscape. A former co-author of the outlet’s flagship “Playbook” newsletter, Lippman is recognized as one of Washington, D.C.’s top scoop reporters, breaking major stories on presidential administrations, K Street and beyond. He is also a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News and the BBC.
Samantha Malone, B.A. ’13, earned her law degree from Georgetown in 2019 and now practices real estate and land use law in East Hampton, N.Y. She also serves on the Southampton Town Landmarks and Historic Districts Board.
Lisa Mays, J.D. ’15, was promoted to partner at Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. She advises on international trade compliance and investigations
as part of the governmental practice group.
Monica Parks, M.F.A. ’11, is in her third season with the Shaw Festival in Ontario, Canada, appearing in “The House That
Will Not Stand” and “Witness for the Prosecution.”
Anthony Patrone, J.D. ’19, was appointed legal advisor in the Office of FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. He previously served as an attorney advisor in the Office of the Chief Counsel at the Commerce Department’s NTIA.
Jane Pierce, B.A. ’13, lives in New York City and works as a project manager in the modern and contemporary art department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She and her husband, Reid, welcomed their first child, Vivian, in July.
Arthur Prystowsky, J.D. ’12, was elevated to partner at Simmons Hanly Conroy LLC. He focuses on assisting individuals and families affected by mesothelioma and has represented more than 5,000 powerhouse mechanics, electricians, sheet metal workers and insulators.
Aleksandra Rybicki, J.D. ’16, was promoted to partner at Hollingsworth LLP. She represents clients in complex commercial litigation, antitrust, employment and professional liability matters.
Kevin Sayles, J.D. ’17, was elected as a partner at Bousquet Holstein PLLC. Since joining the firm’s Tax Practice Group in 2018, he has focused on tax incentives related to New York State's Brownfield Cleanup Program and the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
Kelly J. Shefferly, M.B.A. ’14, joined Plunkett Cooney’s business law practice group.
Leah Socash, J.D. ’13, was elected partner at Milbank LLP. She is a member of the firm’s trusts, estates and exempt organizations group.
Ivan Soto-Wright, B.S. ’12, co-founder and CEO of MoonPay, spoke in Professor William Collier’s Foundations of Venture Capital class about incremental learning, a growth mindset and leveraging networks for success.
Daniel Sutter, J.D. ’16, was promoted to partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll. A member of the employee benefits/ERISA practice, he represents retirement and health plan participants in fiduciary breach cases.
Paul Seidu Tanye-Kulono, LL.M. ’17, was appointed acting director-general of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority by President John Dramani Mahama. A distinguished military officer and legal professional, he brings extensive leadership and legal expertise to the role.
Riley Tejcek, B.A. ’19, capped off her 2024–25 bobsled season with a gold medal win in the North American Cup. In addition to her athletic success, she recently published her first children’s book, “If You Can Dream It, Be It!” (End Game Press, 2025).
Michael Timmons, M.B.A.’17, is the founder and CEO of GoodFences, an AI-powered SaaS platform transforming HOA management. He is also an active community leader, shaping Loudoun County’s future as a youth football coach, foster parent, and recently recognized by the Loudoun County Department of Economic Development.
Wayan Vota, M.B.A. ’14, was featured in Fortune for launching Career Pivot, a job search platform that helps federal employees affected by agency funding cuts transition into new career opportunities.
Erica Wible, J.D. ’17, was elected as a member at McNees Malamut Law. She joined the firm in 2017 and currently serves as president of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Association of
Bond Lawyers.
Sara (Mostafa) Wolf, B.S. ’12, M.P.H. ‘14, coaches athletes in Annapolis, Md., as an area representative with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Ruth Dinma Akor, M.A. ’20, Cert ’20, is a senior manager in fraud risk analytics at American Express and is pursuing a doctorate in AI and machine learning at GW.
Amjad Altuwayjiri, M.S. ’24, landed her dream job at Deloitte after graduating.
Laura Arzola, B.S. ’22, is completing her master’s degree in translational medicine at the Universitat de Barcelona.
Ethan Baron, B.S. ’22, an associate at Goldman Sachs, spoke to Professor Rodney Lake’s Quantitative Investing class about transitioning from GW to finance, the importance of networking and seizing industry opportunities.
Nena Beecham, M.S. ’25, moved cross-country from D.C. to Seattle, hiking in national parks along the way. Her research, conducted in collaboration with NASA, was published in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Daqian Dang, M.S. ’24, started a new position as a data scientist.
John Darby, J.D. ’24, joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Birmingham office as a member of the Corporate & Securities Practice Group.
Alexandra Donaldson, B.A. ’21, earned her J.D. from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law in May 2024 and currently serves
as a judge advocate in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Ethan Goldblatt, B.A. ’23, served as a special assistant at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, applying lessons from GW’s Peace Studies program to critical Security Council decisions during a turbulent time in global affairs.
Briana Imran, J.D. ’20, has joined Washington, D.C.-based Kalijarvi, Chuzi, Newman & Fitch, P.C.
as an employment and civil
rights attorney.
Eric Lee, M.A. ’20, joined The New York Times as a photo fellow covering Capitol Hill and the White House.
Emma Myers, B.A. ’25, is the morning and noon news anchor and producer at WTAP in Parkersburg, W.Va.
Tim Neumann, B.S. ’24, is pursuing a master’s degree in quantum information science and technology at TU Delft in
the Netherlands.
Dave Nitkiewicz, M.T.A. ’22, has assumed the role of senior manager of global owner communications at Marriott International. In this role, he will craft and execute messaging strategies for the CEO and senior leadership team in collaboration with owners and franchisees worldwide.
Sofia Salazar, M.A. ’24, has advanced from junior analyst to manager of intelligence at Hetherington Group, overseeing its largest team.
Jaden Taylor, J.D. ’24, joined Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP’s Nashville office as a member of the Corporate & Securities Practice Group.
Tulasi Thotakura, M.S. ’25, works as a program analyst at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, focusing on AI discovery projects.
Anuradha Tidke, M.S. ’23, is a data scientist at the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, analyzing large drug compound datasets to support scientific research.
Laura Wilson, M.A. ’24, is the new collections specialist at the National Building Museum, working on its permanent photography collections and an upcoming visible storage exhibition.