CLASS NOTES a book, where am I welcome and for how long?” I was amazed and overwhelmed by the responses — a vast number from NMH friends and acquaintances. I couldn’t possibly have visited them all in two months! I started my trip in June 2015 with our 15th reunion. We danced on the field to Tron, there was a memorable bonfire by Shadow Lake, and we sang “Jerusalem” with abandon. It was great to see so many classmates and contemporaries — some for the weekend, some passing through including Alex Levy and wife Ariele Yaffee, Cutler Heiser, Daisun Cohn-Williams, Eddie Jacome, Elizabeth Fitzpatrick (who is starting her own company), Elliott Bernstein and his wife (who both recently moved back to the U.S. from China), Emerald Levick, Emily Funk Delldonna and her family, Erin Craw, Janez Hicks Ruzzo, Jessica Bordner, Jessica Scherm-Martin Corwin, Cricket BorntraegerWheeler Nisbet (all the way from London), Kayla Biegun, Margaret Kimball Curtis (who has since had a baby), Matt Siegel, Nate Head, Niko Sommaripa, Pat Murdough, Payson Ayer-Dufner, Rose Jackman Lynch and her family, Rosy Metcalfe, Samantha GreenAtchley, Anastasia Olynyk Pecora (on the way to her honeymoon), Spencer Murata and his family, Tony Sorci, Yezaira Salcedo Malave and her husband, Anne Sherman ’99, Desmon Romain ’01, Ellen Richardson Fretnzen ’01 and her husband, Emily Storm ’01, Jeanna Jensen-Segal ’99, Kelly Hoffman ’98, Nick Popoli ’01, and Nell Fay ’99 (who missed her reunion last year because she was having a baby). • I stayed for two extra days with Jessica Scherm-Martin Corwin in Sunderland and wrote the first pages of my book at the Bernardson Book Mill, where Lindsey Dawson often studied during college. Onward to D.C., a city I first experienced on a choir trip with SWE freshman year, where Tara Innes ’01 welcomed me into her home. I had lunch (and a writing break) with Christiana Gammon Richardson, while two of her three children played in the restaurant booth; I believe we learned more about each other during that lunch than while at NMH. Janna Blais Patterson put me up for a few days; I enjoyed playing make-believe with her daughters while Janna calmly managed her newborn son. In Philadelphia, I had drinks (and breakfast) with Benjamin Palubinsky, followed by a week with Ginny Neusius Caramana ’99 in Pittsburgh. The end of July came and I made my way back to Europe, where I was invited to travel around Italy with Muriel Rebora, who had been my roommate at NMH on an exchange from Argentina. I eventually found myself back in the Netherlands, with a new job as the sales manager at ProctorExam, an Amsterdambased start-up that provides safe online exams. I’ve got half a novel and enough invitations to let me backpack around the U.S. (and parts of China and the U.K.) for months! Perhaps another summer I’ll finish the book, but for now I am thankful for those who supported
A C L O S E R LO O K
Jessica Brown Bailey ’01 with her children, Atticus and Brett
me on my adventure and continue to give me encouragement to take risks and ask big questions. What a great group of classmates! Hope to see you all at the next reunion.
01
Northfield Mount Hermon Josh Grubman joshuagrubman@gmail.com • Christopher A Zissi christopher.zissi@gmail.com
From Chris: Happy New Year! It has been a great year for our class — filled with weddings, births, new jobs, and exciting moves. • Jesse Mayhew got married on 7/10/15 on a beautiful day at the Red Barn in Amherst, Mass. The bridal party and guest list was overflowing with NMHers — both faculty and staff. Included in the bridal party were: Luke Snelling, Alina Gross ’02, Ian Wilson ’98, and Ben Wyatt ’98. Jesse and his new wife, Kim Hutt Mayhew, are currently living in Easthampton, Mass. • Amy Marks married Adam Dornbusch on 7/11/15 at her parents’ home in Woodside, Calif. Sarah Lannon was maid of honor. • Julia Schofield married Sean Fleming on 8/22/15 at her home in Vermont. There were several NMH alums in attendance, including Evie Drew Fahey ’02, Jordan Conn Evans ’03, Sarah Port Laberge, Catherine Murcek, Brynn Mitchell Alcraft, Christopher Zissi, and Caitlin Inglehart and Ben Galuza. • Speaking of Caitlin and Ben, later last summer they relocated from their home in Oakland, Calif., to London, England. Caitlin is pursuing a master’s at the London School of Economics, and Ben was able to transfer his job at Integral Group to the company’s London office. They are both enjoying their new city and finding opportunities to travel around Europe and Africa. They are interested in meeting up with other NMHers in London! • Ria Jodrie Kalinowski and her husband, Jim, welcomed a baby girl! Ella Mei was born on 9/12/15. • Jessica Brown Bailey and Gregg Bailey announce the birth of their second son, Brett Allen, on 10/8/15. He joined the family with older brother, Atticus (3). Both Atticus and Brett love swimming, just like their mom. • Jonathan Feeley and his wife moved to South Portland, Maine, last summer, had a baby, and bought a house. Good things come in threes!
O Canada! David Graham ’99 “Now I can really start making a difference.” Those were the words of David Graham, soon after he was elected to the Canadian Parliament last fall. Graham now represents the Laurentides region of Quebec, which is where he grew up. His civic vision will be a marriage of his past work in information technology and public service. He says that thousands of people within his impoverished jurisdiction have limited access to the Internet — with only inefficient satellite or dial-up service. His mission is to improve technology in these communities and widen the scope of fast and reliable Internet service, now considered a requirement rather than a luxury in day-to-day life. Before running for a Parliament seat, Graham had worked as an assistant to several other members of Parliament. He also worked more than eight years as a technology journalist. He was a co-founder of the Open and Free Technology Community, a three-term board member of the nonprofit Software in the Public Interest, and a volunteer with many charities. Looking back at his education at Northfield Mount Hermon, Graham considers it “a defining part of my life,” and credits the school and its early investment in technology with introducing him to the possibilities of a future in computer technology.
spring 2016 I 87