alumni focus
Ramaz prepares its students to pursue and excel in diverse careers and personal pursuits. Ramaz encourages and equips
Natan Edelsburg
2006
ming
Natan Edelsburg attended Ramaz from the time he was in Nursery – and has continued to stay involved with the Ramaz community ever since! After graduating from the Upper School, Natan spent a year in Israel on Young Judaea’s Year Course and then went on to NYU to study media and communications, with a minor in TV production. It was Natan’s year in Israel that influenced his decision to focus his area of studies at NYU and encouraged his involvement in Israel-related programming on campus. Now Natan is Supervising Producer of Shorty Awards and Vice-President at Sawhorse Media. Do you like to tweet? Do you follow anyone on Twitter? The Shorty Awards honor the best producers of short-form, real-time content on Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, YouTube, and the rest of the social web. Sawhorse Media, the Shorty’s parent company, produces MuckRack.com and Listorious.com and works with top brands to curate and build products for the social web. Natan enjoys working at a smaller, technology-based company, driving the conversation in the marketing /advertising field in a very innovative and revolutionary way. Natan credits his experiences at Ramaz with preparing him both academically and socially. He fondly remembers his 5th grade teacher, Ms. Victoria Ginsberg, with whom he has maintained a connection over the years, even coming to the school to help her out with computer needs and navigating the social media scene. He still remembers the strategies she taught him when writing an essay – which came in handy during his Upper School and college years. He also remembers the impact Dr. Jucovy had on him in his junior and senior years. He got to know Dr. Jucovy outside of class through the Federal Reserve Club. The lessons he learned about the economy back in our economy today. Natan notes, “Above all, I learned the value of committing myself to those things that mattered to me most.” Always recognizing the valuable role Ramaz had on his life and his family’s, when it came to getting involved in the planning committee for the Class of 2006’s reunion, Natan was immediately drawn to helping out and giving back to the community. Natan now serves as one of our newest members of the Ramaz Alumni Advisory Council. ✔ See who won an award at www.getshorty.com
alicia oltuski
2002 Alicia Oltuski just had her first book published, entitled Precious Objects: A Story of Diamonds, Family and a Way of Life. In Precious Objects, Alicia gives an insider’s look at the history, business, and society behind the diamond district, where ninety percent of all the diamonds that enter America pass through those few blocks. In the book, Alicia, the daughter and granddaughter of diamond dealers, reveals the fascinating secrets of the diamond industry and its cast of characters, including her own father. Alicia always was fascinated by the professional life (often secretive) led by her father and grandfather and was drawn to telling its story. Oltuski says, “diamond dealers are famously cagey and [the diamond district] is this captivating, hidden world in the middle of New York City.” Alicia spent a few years researching the topic. Having access to diamond dealers and other professionals in the industry through family connections offered Alicia the opportunity to have very candid interviews and more of an insider’s look into the topic. Barnes and Noble identified Alicia as a Fall 2011 Discover Great New Writers selection. Alicia, currently living in the Washington, DC, area with her husband, is working on her writing and busy promoting her new book. She has participated in readings at bookstores in different cities and has connected with the Jewish Book Council to showcase her book at Jewish book fairs and festivals across the country. Alicia indicated that, from the time she was a Middle School student, Ramaz fostered her love of writing. In the Upper School, Alicia was a member and editor of Parallax, the school’s literary journal, and recognizes how fortunate and unique it was to have an emphasis on creative writing at a Jewish day school. Following graduation from Ramaz, Alicia attended the University of Pennsylvania, participated in the Kelly Writers House, and gained experience working with writers like Max Apple. Alicia then attended Columbia to receive her MFA in creative writing, with a focus in non-fiction. Alicia still is in touch with many fellow alumni and several members of the Ramaz faculty. She is looking forward to celebrating the milestone of her 10-year reunion this coming year. ✔ You can learn more about Precious Objects at aliciaoltuski.com
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