Class Note 1994
I have some good news to share from our class officers. Class president Deme Navab Taleghani shares that our class will sponsor a research project for a current Dartmouth student in the upcoming year. Annelise Brinck-Johnsen ’17 will be traveling through England researching human rights through 19th-century British literature. This opportunity for both Annelise and the class of ’94 supports our mutual love for Dartmouth, a common quest for knowledge and our continued drive to pursue our passions with purpose. Good luck to Annelise!
Speaking of continuing education, I have updates from our very own classmates who have made education their lives’ work.
Stemming from his interest in his undergraduate minor of women’s studies, David Cohen continues researching this important issue as a law professor at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. He coauthored an award-winning book, Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion Terrorism. He and his coauthor were featured on Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR in December. The book has been touted as a top feminist book in 2015 and certainly a starter of thought-provoking, lively conversation.
Martha Douple Tomeo made a leap this past year from the lower 48 to Alaska, where she is the librarian at Tri-Valley School in the Denali Borough School District in interior Alaska. Her two children are students at the school, as well, and they are enjoying the breathtaking, natural beauty of Alaska. Somehow, another ’94 landed at the Tri-Valley School; Dan Polta is the district superintendent. With these two in cahoots this school is the luckiest district in Alaska, if not the whole country!
Lynn Webster has been an inspirational teacher in Massachusetts since earning her master’s in early childhood education from Wheelock College in Boston. She continues to be the kindergarten teacher students never forget and was just recently named teacher of the year for her school district. Congratulations, Lynn!
I finally have a complete update on the exotic life of Katherine Osborne Valdez.She has worked (off and on) for the U.S. Agency for International Development since 2004. Her husband, Pablo Valdez, is with the U.S. State Department. As you can imagine, these positions led to a number of posts abroad: Peru, Indonesia, Chile and now Mexico. Katherine writes, “We are loving living in such a vibrant city, which has the added advantage of being close to family and friends in Houston and Austin, Texas. We’ll be living in the heart of Mexico City until summer 2018 and truly welcome visitors.” If you’re up for an adventure, join Katherine, Pablo and their two daughters!
Katherine notes that she reconnected with classmates Martha Douple Tomeo, Michelle Moore Fortier, Marcie Mitre Levin and Anne Jeffers Weber via a virtual book club for their middle school daughters. This innovative idea is a great blueprint to encourage alumni reconnections. Perhaps other classmates have similar ideas to share? Please let me know so I can share an inspiring idea with fellow classmates. Keep your updates rolling into my mailbox. I may be reaching out to you, as well. Kindly respond!
Laura Hardegree Davis, 1664 Cambridge Court, Bethlehem, PA, 18015; lauradavis723@mac.com
