My fellow classmates, I write this to you only hours after the northeastern blizzard of 2010 tore through New York City and I find myself caught in a moment of reflection. As I stare out the window at the frozen tundra that was once called South Harlem (but will henceforth be referred to as “Winter WonderwhyImovedhereinthefirstplace”), I am reminded of freshmen snowball fights, skating on Occom Pond, hot chocolate in Collis, collapsing snow sculptures and the rest of the things that made those Hanover winters bearable. With a little help from liquid parkas, we certainly found great ways to get each other through those cold nights in Hanover. I will certainly miss having you all around this winter, but let us gather ’round the figurative hearth that is the Class Notes and catch up on some piping hot updates from our classmates around the globe. 


First some news to warm your heart: I ran into Will Hanson recently, who was beaming with pride to tell me he was engaged to NYU grad Jen Messina. They will be married in the coming year. 


And the wedding bells just keep chiming, according to Ray Di Ciaccio: “We had a little class of ’09 reunion over the weekend of November 20 for the wedding of Liz Nelson up in middle-of-nowhere Wisconsin (Rhinelander, to be specific). Kyle Sherry, Ignacio Rueda, Mandy Lobel, Diana Lopez, Faye Yu and myself were up there. It was cold but great to be back together (and in Hanover-like weather, too!). Of course we were surrounded by tons of other Dartmouth alums, and we all had a grand old time dancing to ‘Blame It On the Boogie’ and the ‘Salty Dog Rag’ at the reception.”


Thomas McDermott is having a great second year of law school at the University of Virginia, and will be working on prisoners’ rights litigation as a clerk for the National Prison Project of the ACLU in Washington, D.C., this summer. 


Vanessa Hurley will also be around D.C., as she just started working for the New America Foundation as a health policy analyst. 


Courtney Davis got rave reviews in the Denver Post for her portrayal of Aida in the eponymous musical by Elton John and Tim Rice at the Carousel Theater in Fort Collins, Colorado. According to the Post, Davis “carries off her every line with the poise, elegance and evident intellect of the princess she embodies.” Courtney will be moving to New York City this coming spring. 


Matt McDonald will also be heading to the Big Apple soon and is excited to start working with consulting firm Booz Allen. 


Scott Decker and his wife, Kate, recently moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Drop them a line if you’re in the area!


Max Copello started working as an agribusiness analyst in central California. 


Jordan Sedlacek graduatedfrom her master’s of agriculture program at Colorado State University and will be spending the winter snowboarding before starting a combined master of public health/doctor of veterinary medicine at CSU during the summer. 


Stephanie Morales informed me that she recently got a job as a paralegal for Windels Marx Lane and Mittendorf. Way to go, Steph!


Casey Lauderdale certainly had some awesome news: “I’d like to share that I recently got engaged, got a promotion and am enjoying an energetic puppy with my fiancé. Life is good, and I hope that my classmates are well, too.”


That’s all for now, friends. Keep the updates coming, throw another log on the fire and pour a little extra peppermint schnapps into the cocoa for me. Class of ’09 love!


—Peter Rothbard, 412 W 129th St., Apt. #16, New York, NY 10027; (407) 421-4676; peter.s.rothbard.09@alum.dartmouth.org