Class Note 1996
After a crazy winter defined by abnormal, up-and-down weather conditions, it appears that spring is bringing with it a number of new bundles of joy and exciting occupational opportunities for the class of ’96. First, we interrupt this regularly scheduled column for a fun fact: Did you know that we have no fewer than 80 ’96s married to another ’96? And a bonus fun fact: In addition to those 40 class couples, another 50 members of our class are married to alums from other classes!
With so many Dartmouth couples in our midst, it warms this class officer’s heart to receive news of one of our illustrious pairings. My dear friend Naomi (Parker) Lee recently wrote in and updated me on her life with fellow ’96 Paul (Graeve) Lee, M.D. Paul was an English major and German minor and Naomi a German major, which makes it ironic that the two did not meet until senior spring after an introduction by mutual friend Darryl Knudsen (who just happens to have been my freshman-year roommate). Naomi and Paul recently relocated to Madison, Wisconsin, where Naomi is a qualitative researcher for the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and Paul works with the university hospital. She says, “Madison is fun and close to our parents and siblings in the Twin Cities. It’s the first time either of us has lived in the Midwest since high school, and with a first baby on the way in February/March, it’ll be wonderful having family closer by.” As of press time I have no baby news so I can’t wait to report the arrival of another ’96 baby in an upcoming issue!
I received news that Bill Tovell was just promoted to executive director at J.P. Morgan Securities, after moving from a rates/foreign exchange sales position to become a relationship banker (with lots more travel!). Just as he was changing positions Bill and his wife, Gayane, welcomed son William Tovell III into the world on July 23 (the new arrival will be going by “William” to keep everyone’s names straight). Mother and son are doing well and Bill reports that William is growing up fast!
In other baby-related news, I also heard from Jennifer Frontera, M.D., that she and her husband, Joe Hickey, welcomed their daughter Liliana Veronica Hickey on January 20. Jen and Joe live in New York and were married back in 2010 (a wedding I was happily able to attend with a number of fellow ’96s and ’97s). Jen is an assistant professor in the department of neurosurgery and neurology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where she has been since 2006.
Shervyn Von Hoerl also had a number of life updates. Shervyn, our esteemed class treasurer, accepted a position as vice president at 20 Gates Management LLC last year. He and his wife, Amanda, then greeted their second child, Hildegard Bronwyn Gallifrey Monier (a.k.a. “Hildi”), in the early morning hours of December 8. Congratulations all-around!
Lastly, I wanted to relay some Facebook news from Holly Parker from mid-January. Holly, who is the assistant coach for the Bates College women’s squash team, was particularly torn given the fact that her Bates team (ranked ninth in the country) was in Hanover to face the eighth-ranked Big Green. While Holly reports that she truly enjoyed her nostalgic night back in Hanover, she said that on the day of the match she would in fact “turn all Bobcat!” Happily, I can report that the national rankings held and Dartmouth trounced said Bobcats with a 7-2 win! (Sorry, Holly!)
—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org
