Class Note 2001

It took a little cajoling but we have some awesome updates for your reading pleasure. A while back, Chance Hill wrote in to say that he was running for a seat on the Colorado University board of regents, representing the state’s 5th congressional district. He won the seat in November, and starts his six-year term in November. In other fantastic follow-up news, Jesse Foote reports that his Kickstarter campaign to develop his treasure hunt game, Color Clues, was a success with participation from many ’01s, including Sean Alpert, Lindsey Anderson, Paul Biggs, Ivan Cestero, Hillary Dunleavy, Maribel Florez, Mike Foote, Dominic Germana, Devon Green, Dean Krishna, Ian Laing, Patrick Leslie, Brooke Lierman, Jorge Miranda, Prince Neelankavil, Jon Potter, Rhea Powell, Kristin Romberg, Roshan Shah,and Margaret Sloat. Take a look at www.colorclues.com. Maybe all the ’01 kids can play at the next reunion.

Speaking of ’01 kids, there are more of them in this world. Andrew Trief and Samantha Shabman (George Washington ’11) welcomed their first son, Rafael Noah, on October 7 in Atlanta. Splitting time between Atlanta and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Andrew would love to catch up with ’01s passing through the South. Valeria (Guerrero) Lewis, husband Stephen, and son David recently welcomed second child Amelie Maria. Valeria and Stephen also celebrate the second anniversary of their firm, law offices of Lewis and Guerrero in Miami. Costa Mesa, California got a new ’01 baby with little Keia Dresow Cooperstein joining Jacqueline Dresow, Marc Cooperstein, and big sister Taylie (3) in April. Also in California, Jenny Alden reports that she (re)connected with Kirk Spahn ’99—the two parties dispute whether an initial connection was made many years earlier in Hanover—in 2015. This meeting was apparently more memorable with the pair now happily married and parents to a beautiful baby boy. Last, and certainly not least, Jessica Wirth Strine wrote in from Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, to say that she completed her happy family of seven with the birth of Camilla (“Milly”) June Strine last March. In June Jessica pivoted away from portfolio management and took a job with Vanguard.

The years 2018 and 2019 are a milestone for many a classmate with at least a plurality—perhaps a majority, but I have not crunched the data—of ’01s turning 40. As expected, many of our classmates are celebrating with ’01 friends and exciting adventures. Rochelle Bourgault is embracing the new decade with her husband, who is turning 50, by relocating her family of four from Marblehead, Massachusetts, to Venice, California, for the entire month of February. Some ’01 friends, Amanda (Montgomery) Martin and Melissa (Singh) Merchant, traveled to Boston to join Jenna and Steve Leschuk for Jenna’s 40th celebration. Evelyn Chen is taking these 40th birthdays global. Just before celebrating Bernette Tsai’s 40th in the Bay Area with Andy Kim, Wendy Yu ’02, and Masashi Kiyomine, Evelyn helped organize Equality Now’s 2018 gala in Los Angeles, helping to raise more than $1 million for women’s and girls’ rights. She will be celebrating her own 40th with some skiing in Hokkaido and traveling around Japan in late February through early March.

Thanks for the updates everyone. Have a great spring!

—Rachel Milstein Sondheimer, 143 Branchville Road, Ridgefield, CT 06877; (203) 645-693; rachel. sondheimer@gmail.com