Class Notes
Traveling the world, producing musicals, covering political campaigns, sailing competitively, designing robots, having babies, blogging, falling in love…. See what’s happening in the lives of CGS alums, and submit your class note.
1950s
Raymond Malley (’50, COM’52) has published his third book, Cold Waters: My Ship Adventures in the Arctic, Antarctica, and North Atlantic (Xlibris, 2018). He is a retired senior foreign service officer of the US Department of State, with worldwide service. He also is a retired business executive of Hyun Di/Halla, Korea, and a retired US Air Force officer, having graduated from BU ROTC in 1952. He lives with his wife Josette, retired from the World Bank, in Hanover, N.H., and McLean, Va.
1960s
Kenneth Beaton (’61) writes that December 3, 2018, marked the 75th anniversary of the Battle for Monte la Difensa, a key battle of World War II, in which his uncle fought. Four days after the battle, a toddler’s picture and a pocket knife with a female’s name engraved on it were found along with his uncle’s remains. Ken was the toddler in the photo, and he says those items were the genesis of his book, A Toddler’s Picture in His Uncle’s Helmet (Kenneth Beaton, 2018). Courtesy of Kenneth Beaton
David Gill (’61, CAS’65) remembers that he attended CGS when it was on the corner of Boylston and Exeter streets. He writes: “The diversity of courses and the meaningful way in which the material was presented was perfect for someone coming out of a less than successful high school experience. The professors were down to earth and had their students’ understanding of the material at heart. I went on to get my MD and practiced for 40 years. Hopefully, many other aspiring students have enjoyed and will enjoy their experience at the college as much as I did.”
John Macchi (’63) writes that he and his wife Patti have spent the past six years since their retirement traveling around the globe and watching their grandchildren grow. Their most recent trip took them from their home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Doha, Qatar, and then to Bali, Indonesia. Then, they took a cruise from Bali to Australia, Fiji, Samoa, New Caledonia, and Hawaii, “29 days to see the world!” John writes. They have now visited all seven continents and the seven seas. When not traveling, John oil paints and watches Boston sports teams.
Amory Fay (’64) writes that she left BU after a family event prevented her from completing her degree. Amory finished her BA at Lesley College in 1990, then received a master’s degree from Naropa University in Boulder, Colo. She writes: “I was happy to be at BU for a short time. I enjoyed my classes and met some nice people.” Amory now teaches yoga and performs energy healings, a craft she says she studied with a shaman practitioner from Peru. Her children live in Los Angeles, Austria, and New York City, and Amory has four grandchildren.
Leo Quinn (’64, Questrom’67) writes, “Happily retired in Wisconsin and traveling the world!”
Jimmy Green (’65, COM’67) went to Georgetown Law after graduating from BU and practices law in the D.C. area. Jimmy has been married for 45 years and has two daughters and three grandchildren. He writes: “Been a great journey.”
Tim Miles (’67) is a volunteer at the Yokefellow Ministry Food Bank and at the Mountain Valley Hospice care facility in Dobson, N.C. He provides comfort to patients during their last days and to their families.
Randy Miller (’67, Questrom’69) writes that as he passed the 50-year mark since his CGS experience, “I reflected upon how valuable that two-year period was to me and others who have recognized how impactful the teaching concept has been. I hope anyone reading this will throw support behind [CGS Dean] Natalie McKnight and her team to help maximize their efforts!”
John Barry (’68) writes that after finishing CGS and attending two more colleges, he took a four-year “vacation” before “stumbling into the magazine publishing world” for three decades. He writes that he’s chronicled his eccentric career arc in his eleventh book, HARD: A Boomer’s Odyssey from Hardcore in the Heartland to the Heart of Hardwareland (Advanced Book Publishing, 2018). He’s currently producing his musical, Guy’s Fairly Lazy, a parody of My Fair Lady. Since 1999 he has lived in Danville, Calif.
Kathleen (Ross) Tarr (’69, Wheelock’71) writes, “For the last 20 years I have been fortunate to be able to follow my dream and travel the country setting up at antique shows.” She has been married to Ray for 30 years, and they live in Melbourne, Fla., for seven months and in Wenham, Mass., in the summer.
1970s
Diane Kilgore (’75, MET’09), a writer for the New Boston Post was invited to the Rose Garden ceremony at the White House to cover First Lady Melania and President Donald Trump’s announcement of the BE BEST campaign. She writes, “All politics aside, any program that benefits our nation’s children is an initiative worthy of consideration. It was a privilege to be invited to cover the announcement at the White House. Little did I know when I returned to BU in 2009 to take a class studying the influence of social media on the media with MET Professor Edward Brookner, I’d be invited to the White House as a member of the media! It’s amazing how many doors a BU education can open.” Courtesy of Diane Kilgore
Alan Howarth (’70, CAS’72, Wheelock’72) has developed his longtime interest in wine into a career, managing Massachusetts Wine Shop in the Boston Public Market. He works for the Massachusetts Farm Winery and Growers Association, with 22 vineyards and wineries across the state. Alan writes that he has put his education to good use doing lectures and wine tastings for business and private groups. He invites fellow alums to visit the market for a complimentary wine tasting.
John Murzycki (’73, CAS’75, COM’78) published Elthea’s Gambit (CreateSpace, 2018), the second sci-fi/fantasy novel in his Story of Elthea’s Realm series. Elthea’s Gambit is the story of how a team of former students, united by a college course called The Utopia Project, are drawn into a struggle in another land as they combat Bots, beings created by Earth’s computer virus software. Learn more at johnmurzycki.com.
Jessica Sablone Maffeo (’78) has operated a family restaurant for more than 30 years and currently operates four locations of Caffé Strega in Boston, Mass.
Sean Gilmore (’79) lives in Lake Forest, Ill., with his wife and two daughters and keeps in touch with his former roommates who live in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Maryland. He sails competitively on Lake Michigan and Geneva Lake in Wisconsin.
Gary Epstein (’79, COM’81) is owner of Timeless Antiques, Watch & Jewelry Company in Brockton, Mass., where he offers expertise in estate liquidation of jewelry, watches, and coins, as well as watch restoration.
1980s
Lisa Botti (’83, CAS’85, SSW’87) began offering bereavement counseling at Peace Hospice of Great Falls, Mont., and signed on as a Military and Family Life counselor for events near Great Falls. She continues to grow her pottery business, Whispering Creek Pottery LLC, and makes custom mermaid steins for the Sip ’n Dip Lounge in Great Falls, known for its mermaid decor. She has two sons in high school and three at Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont. She lives on an organic cattle ranch, 45 miles outside of Great Falls and writes, “I am in touch with one undergraduate friend and one friend from graduate school at BU. I love where I live now, but cherish the experiences I had while going to school in Boston!” She remembers running beside the Charles River to train for the Boston Marathon at the age of 19. While she no longer does distance running, she roller blades along the Missouri River in Great Falls. She welcomes anyone from “way back when” to email her at lisabotti@ymail.com.
Christopher Pitcher (’84, COM’98) is currently the assistant vice-president at Wilmington University in Wilmington, Del., where he oversees military affairs and partnerships with other academic institutions. When Christopher wrote, he and his wife Gina were expecting their second child.
Ben Golant (’86, CAS’88, COM’88) writes, “Who knew that days spent at arcades in the 1980s would foreshadow a career as a video game attorney! But, here I am representing the largest video game companies in the world as the chief counsel for intellectual property policy at the Entertainment Software Association in Washington, D.C. And, I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for the amazing faculty at CGS guiding the way.”
Diana Waugh Imperatore Bisselle (’89, CAS’91) writes that after graduating with a degree in international relations and Soviet studies, she worked on both the buy and sell sides for international investment banks and a hedge fund in New York. Diana writes, “Eternal thanks to Boston University for providing me with the perfect launchpad for a successful career. Extensive travel, dynamic work environments, and the opportunity to make lifelong friends were made possible by the solid foundation of a BU education.” After 20 years of traveling back and forth to Russia, Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the Middle East, Diana has started a new career path in luxury real estate in Litchfield County, Conn.
Michael Reiss (’89, COM’92) works at WAYO, a radio station in Rochester, N.Y., producing and programming the weekly radio show, LIVE from the Beech-Nut Warehouse, a film-influenced, surreal, oddball show of music, humor, and social observation.
1990s
Marc Langevin (’90, Questrom’92) is a colonel in the United States Marine Corps and chief of staff at Joint Interagency Task Force West in Honolulu, Hawaii, a Department of Defense agency that brings defense assets to law enforcement throughout the Asia-Pacific region to help thwart narcotics and transnational crime. Marc writes that his son is a senior in high school and is considering Boston University.
Wilfred W. Labiosa (’91, CAS’93) recently married Seil Román in Puerto Rico, surrounded by many of his BU friends. He has also increased the programming of Waves Ahead Corp, a nonprofit organization working with marginalized communities in Puerto Rico, focusing on the LGBTQIA+ and older adult communities. Waves Ahead has reached more than 800 people in the last six months. Read an article about Labiosa’s work in the 2018 issue of arts&sciences magazine.
Maria Zavala (’93, Questrom’95) lives in Quito, Ecuador, and is married with four kids ages 12, 14, 21, and 22. She writes that she began her career in business; after her third child was born, she became an entrepreneur and a stay-at-home mother. Three years ago, she made a career change to education and now works in the learning support department at the international school Academia Cotopaxi. Maria is pursuing a Master of Education in Curriculum & Teaching through Boston University Wheelock College of Education & Human Development’s online program, which she will complete next summer. She says, “My future plans are to move to other international schools around the globe and hopefully reconnect with my Boston University friends.”
Kevin F. Sanderson (’94, CAS’96), a managing partner of Merritt & Sanderson, Pa., established the right to sue for damages on behalf of federal employees who experience employment disability discrimination after receiving worker’s compensation. In July, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled in favor of Kevin’s client in Charles Edward Center, Jr. v. Secretary, Department of Homeland Security. Kevin writes, “Any employee is already having a hard time when they receive an injury that falls under the worker’s compensation umbrella. We hope this may someday also help state and private sector employees.” Kevin has been practicing employment law since 2003.
Dimitri Arfanakis (’97, CAS’99, SDM’04) was inducted as a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry in New Orleans, La. As a recipient of the award, Dimitri has joined almost 17,000 members of the dental community; the award symbolizes excellence in the dental profession and a commitment to providing exceptional patient care.
Lisa Bergman (’97, Wheelock’99,’00) writes that she’s a teacher to “some awesome kids” in kindergarten and first grade in Arlington, Mass. She has been working with children for 18 years and loves children’s literature and creating exciting projects for her students. “I still have a silly sense of humor and use it every day!”
Jose Gurgel (’99, CAS’01) specializes in the investigation of corporate fraud, bribery, corruption, and antitrust violations, drawing on more than 10 years of experience working with a Fortune 500 company with operations in more than 100 countries. He is starting his own consulting business, GPD Consulting Group, providing investigative and consulting support to companies seeking to establish a strong, effective, and respected internal investigations program.
Albie Ondis (’99, CAS’01) lives in Fairfield, Conn., with his wife Barbra (Galdo) Ondis (Wheelock’00) and two “awesome kids,” ages six and eight. Albie is a senior manager for Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.
Carissa Parot (’99) is the program coordinator for the Child & Family Respite Services Program at the nonprofit agency Behavioral Health Services North in upstate New York. Her program provides short-term breaks for youth who are struggling with mental illness, experiencing a crisis, or having difficulty functioning in regular daily activities. Respite care provides the child and their family some relief while keeping the child in a family setting. A few years ago, Carissa’s organization created and developed the Crisis Respite Program, which serves the same population but provides respite within 24 to 48 hours of initial referral. She writes, “This has proven highly valuable to the community, as it ensures a safe, therapeutic placement for the child at a fraction of the cost of a hospitalization stay.”
Celebrating Love⎯at CGS Collegian reached out to some of the many couples who met and fell in love while studying at CGS. According to Development & Alumni Relations, 17,954 BU alumni have married a fellow Terrier since the 1920s. That’s 8,977 couples. The peak decade was the 1980s, when more than 4,100 walked down the aisle together. Here are three from CGS. Are you half of a CGS couple? Tell us your story here.
2000s
Adam Marks (’00, COM’03) and his family recently returned to Jamaica Plain, Mass., from Phoenixville, Pa., where they had spent nine years. Adam is the director of healthy living at the Roxbury YMCA and invites fellow alums to email him at amarks555@yahoo.com.
Jueji (JJ) Liu (’02, CAS’03) writes that her company EASTWEST (Fashion+Design Haus Pte Ltd) was part of the opening ceremonies team of the Asian Games 2018, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. Asian Games is part of the Olympic Council of Asia and is the second largest games in the world after the Olympics. EASTWEST worked alongside Indonesia’s top couturier, Rinaldy A. Yunardi, as his design team to concept, manage, and execute costumes for three key segments of the opening. JJ writes, “the Asian Games Opening Ceremony received much praise from both the international press and also local media. It was a proud moment to be something beyond oneself for a nation.” JJ is a business director and project management director for The Clique Limited, a PR, brand management, and brand consulting company founded by Faye F. Liu (’99, CAS ’01). All photos courtesy of East West Co (Fashion+Design Haus Pte Ltd)
Brandon Leitner (’03, CAS’05) lives in San Francisco, Calif., where he’s a commercial real estate broker who helps the world’s most innovative and creative companies with their real estate needs. He writes, “Many of the close relationships I have today started at CGS.”
Jace Kieffer (’04, Questrom’06) is vice president of his family’s business, Kieffer’s Appliances. A fourth-generation, 101-year-old company, Kieffer’s is the largest independent appliance company in the Philadelphia tri-state region. Jace runs the day-to-day operations of the company, while his father, the company president, spends more time on the golf course. Jace and his wife, Michelle, live in Ambler, Pa., with a two-year-old son Cameron and a little girl on the way.
Katie Shesh Troise (’04, COM’06) works as a creative director at Nickelodeon media company in New York City. She lives on Long Island with her husband and sons Ryder, who is two, and Jude, who’s six months old. She writes that she’s always interested in networking and invites fellow alums to email her at katie.shesh@gmail.com.
Amanda Curtis (’07, COM’09) was named one of 25 People Shaping Retail’s Future by the National Retail Federation. She is the cofounder and CEO of Nineteenth Amendment, which she describes as “a platform that allows brands of all sizes to power inventory-free selling and on-demand, domestic manufacturing in four weeks or fewer.”
Adanta Ahanonu (’08, Questrom’10) of Tucson, Ariz., is the site director of higher education programs at Year Up Bay Area. Year Up is a national nonprofit that empowers urban young adults to launch professional careers in a single year after completing a free, one-year intensive career-readiness training program.
Gabe Amzallag (’08, Questrom’10) is married to Ariel Goldstein (’07, CAS’09); they live outside of Philadelphia with their three kids. Gabe works in commercial real estate doing retail leasing and representing landlords and tenants in the greater Philadelphia area.
John Bastani (’08, CAS’10) writes, “It’s been a crazy last year since joining Uber’s Research and Insights team. I recently took a role leading US and Canada research to help the organization really understand the impact on brand sentiment and how to ensure that every important decision we make as a company is being driven by strategic data insights. Could not be more thrilled to be helping to improve a product and brand that impacts millions of people a day!”
Diana Sull (’09, COM’11) writes that she “changed my career thrice in the last two years (digital marketing to management consulting to product marketing). Determined to find my purpose and make a difference every day.”
2010s
Molly Ford (’10, COM’12) writes that since the launch of The Food Lens (TFL) in spring 2017, she and cofounder Sarah Jesup (’10, SHA’13) have rapidly expanded the site, increasing their in-depth food and drink coverage to include vibrant travel guides focused on Nantucket Island, Mass., Portsmouth, N.H., and other New England foodie enclaves. TFL has also partnered with national hospitality brands, including Caviar and Airbnb. Follow along on Instagram at @thefoodlens.
Taylor Aube (’12, COM’14) is a fashion, beauty, and travel influencer who started her blog, Stop, Drop & Vogue, at BU. She writes, “It sure has come a long way from blogging at StuVi.” She went to her first Fashion Week in Paris while attending the BU Paris Study Abroad program. Since then she has photographed backstage at Oscar de la Renta and the runways of Marc Jacobs, and she has been to New York Fashion Week seven times. She now lives outside of Portland, Ore., where she runs her blog full time, documenting her life in the Pacific northwest.
Phoebe Gittelson (’12, COM’14) writes that after working in corporate public relations and creating the CBS Women’s Networking Group at CBS Corporation, she has decided to pursue law to create positive change in the world through the power of education and conversation. She is a poet who writes under the pen name SWEETPHEE, sells her work on Tictail, and reads at local events in Brooklyn. She also practices violin with the Riverside Community Orchestra. Courtesy of Phoebe Gittelson
Julia Budde (’14, CAS’16) writes that she spent her first year after BU doing something she’d always dreamed of doing: she moved to Paris. She lived in a studio apartment in the city and taught elementary English in a nearby suburb. She now lives in St. Louis, Mo., with her boyfriend, whom she met at BU, and works for Washington University’s School of Medicine, helping to raise money for cancer research. She writes, “It’s an amazing job and St. Louis is a great city, but I’ll always be thankful I spent my first year pursuing my dream! There is always a good time to have a career, but there is not always a good time to pack up and move across the world for a year. If you’re not sure what you want to do after you graduate, take a year and explore the world!”
Heather Goldin (’14, COM’16) was promoted to corporate communications coordinator at American Honda Motor Co., Inc., after a little over a year of working as a contractor for Honda’s Parts, Service and Technical Division. She is responsible for communicating the company’s vision and philosophy to more than 25,000 associates, as well as covering stories and events to keep American Honda’s associates informed.
Jordyn Block (’16, COM’18) writes: “In late June, after two weeks traveling and learning in Israel with MEOR (an amazing program offered on BU’s campus), I entered the working world.” Jordyn is an account coordinator at the New York-based public relations firm JConnelly and runs a wellness blog in her spare time.
Sandybelle Dumar (’16, CAS’18) writes, “Just applying for dental schools, working in the ER, and traveling the world.”
Sophia Roldan-Ferreira (’16, Questrom’18) is an accountant for Elkus Manfredi Architects in Boston, Mass. She writes, “CGS was great because of the exposure to the Capstone Project that prepared me for Questrom, which prepped me further for my career. I also met most of my closest friends because of CGS!”
Eliandro Tavares (’16, CAS’18) is working in energy research for the Applied Economics Clinic. He is planning to begin a master’s degree program after his college loans are paid off.
Alivya Wimmer (’16, CAS’18) is preparing to leave for the World Race. She’ll be going to 11 countries in 11 months doing outreach, volunteer, and humanitarian work in underdeveloped areas.
2020s
Elizabeth Guerrero (’18, ENG’20) writes, “This summer I had an internship at a drone start-up, Greensight Agronomics, in Boston’s Seaport district. I acquired a remote pilot license certified by the FAA. It was a very hands-on internship where I gained experience helping manufacture the drones as well as flying them remotely.”
Catherine Monroy (’18, CAS’20) writes that, this summer, she was the political science intern for Involved, a Boston-based civic engagement start-up. She writes, “Both cofounders are BU graduates, and participating in this internship gave me great experience with hyper-local politics and improved my research and communication skills.”