Class Note 1998
Issue
January-February 2025
Dear, ’98s, happy 2025! When you were a bright-eyed freshman sloshing through the snow as you walked across the Green during winter term, how did you imagine your life 30 years into the future? How would the younger you react to your life today? Write me and share your stories!
Before we get too far into 2025, I wanted to give a shout out to several ’98s who were either spotlighted in local papers in 2024 or celebrated for their notable personal wins. I met up with Jasson Walker Jr. and Taheerah K. El-Amin during a short trip to Washington, D.C., in October and I was blown away by their awesomeness. Taheerah recently completed nine half marathons in 2024. Her final race will be next August in Anchorage, Alaska, which will bring Taheerah’s 50 states plus D.C. half marathon challenge to an end. What a feat, T! If anyone is interested in traveling to Alaska or hosting a ’98 mini-reunion to cheer Taheerah on, let me know.
Jasson, who is the founder, president, and CEO of cFocus Software, has been busy running his successful company. He was honored a few years ago as one of Prince George’s County, Maryland, “Top 40 Under 40.” Jasson is a decorated cyber-security and Microsoft technology evangelist with more than 15 years of experience creating solutions for federal government and commercial customers. Fantastic time catching up with the goddess of running and D.C.’s cyber expert.
Back in Boston, Eric Paley, in his role as founder and general partner of Founder Collective,was featured prominently on the “Globe Tech Power Players 50 List” published by The Boston Globe. This isn’t Eric’s first time making this highly selective list. In 2022 he was described as one of the central nodes of Boston’s tech ecosystem, having backed companies including Uber and Whoop, to name a few.
In other news, Steve T. Park, who is the co-leader of Ballard Spahr’s national infrastructure practice, was recognized by statewide news outlet City & State Pennsylvania as a “Building and Infrastructure Trailblazer.” City & State Pennsylvania described him as “one of the most influential Pennsylvanians in the key sectors of building and infrastructure.” Steve’s selection to the 2024 “Building and Infrastructure Trailblazers” list reflects his work on groundbreaking infrastructure transactions.
If you want to talk tech, infrastructure, cybersecurity, or running, you now have an impressive list of ’98s to consult. But what about the arts? Well, S. Isabel Choi received a FY 2024 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Isabel was one of 35 writers selected for this prestigious honor, beating out 2,100 other applicants. As noted in the press release, Isabel, who is a former attorney, is finishing a generational memoir titled Let the River Run, which is inspired by the story of her grandfather, who was the chief justice of South Korea’s supreme court. What a legacy, Isabel!
I would love to hear about your life journeys or even life hacks in 2025. So, please, write in often. One love.
—Carline M. (Dorcena) Durocher, 137 Walnut St., Newton, MA 02460; cdurocher07@gmail.com
Before we get too far into 2025, I wanted to give a shout out to several ’98s who were either spotlighted in local papers in 2024 or celebrated for their notable personal wins. I met up with Jasson Walker Jr. and Taheerah K. El-Amin during a short trip to Washington, D.C., in October and I was blown away by their awesomeness. Taheerah recently completed nine half marathons in 2024. Her final race will be next August in Anchorage, Alaska, which will bring Taheerah’s 50 states plus D.C. half marathon challenge to an end. What a feat, T! If anyone is interested in traveling to Alaska or hosting a ’98 mini-reunion to cheer Taheerah on, let me know.
Jasson, who is the founder, president, and CEO of cFocus Software, has been busy running his successful company. He was honored a few years ago as one of Prince George’s County, Maryland, “Top 40 Under 40.” Jasson is a decorated cyber-security and Microsoft technology evangelist with more than 15 years of experience creating solutions for federal government and commercial customers. Fantastic time catching up with the goddess of running and D.C.’s cyber expert.
Back in Boston, Eric Paley, in his role as founder and general partner of Founder Collective,was featured prominently on the “Globe Tech Power Players 50 List” published by The Boston Globe. This isn’t Eric’s first time making this highly selective list. In 2022 he was described as one of the central nodes of Boston’s tech ecosystem, having backed companies including Uber and Whoop, to name a few.
In other news, Steve T. Park, who is the co-leader of Ballard Spahr’s national infrastructure practice, was recognized by statewide news outlet City & State Pennsylvania as a “Building and Infrastructure Trailblazer.” City & State Pennsylvania described him as “one of the most influential Pennsylvanians in the key sectors of building and infrastructure.” Steve’s selection to the 2024 “Building and Infrastructure Trailblazers” list reflects his work on groundbreaking infrastructure transactions.
If you want to talk tech, infrastructure, cybersecurity, or running, you now have an impressive list of ’98s to consult. But what about the arts? Well, S. Isabel Choi received a FY 2024 creative writing fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Isabel was one of 35 writers selected for this prestigious honor, beating out 2,100 other applicants. As noted in the press release, Isabel, who is a former attorney, is finishing a generational memoir titled Let the River Run, which is inspired by the story of her grandfather, who was the chief justice of South Korea’s supreme court. What a legacy, Isabel!
I would love to hear about your life journeys or even life hacks in 2025. So, please, write in often. One love.
—Carline M. (Dorcena) Durocher, 137 Walnut St., Newton, MA 02460; cdurocher07@gmail.com