With this inaugural column of 2014 it is unequivocally undeniable that we ’96s are no longer the young bucks we once were! The first few members of our class started to reach the dreaded 40th milestone this past fall, with the vast majority of us slated to do so in the year ahead. As we collectively head over the hill I’m happy to highlight a few exciting goings-on in the lives of our fellow 40-somethings (oh how that hurts to type!).


Our first exciting update comes from Joseph Marcheso (who actually turned 40 in December). It was recently announced that Joe would be picking up the baton as the music director of Opera San José (OSJ) in California, effective with the opera’s 2014-15 season. As the only opera company in America with a resident ensemble of principal artists, OSJ showcases some of the finest singers in the nation. Joe most recently conducted OSJ’s run of Hansel and Gretel, his 10th production with the company that concluded in December. He is also on the conducting staff for the San Francisco Opera, where he has led a number of momentous productions. As if this professional development were not enough to celebrate, Joe and his husband, Jimmy, marked the first anniversary of their marriage (and eight years together) this past November! Congratulations all-around!


Christian Jacobus (who lucky for him will not have to contend with 40 until next January) has also had some exciting developments in both his professional and private lives. In December Chris proposed to his now fiancée Ashley Gottfried (spoiler alert: she said “yes!”) and are planning their wedding for later this year. Chris recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, after accepting a clinical fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He previously was the assistant residency director in the department of emergency medicine at Synergy Medical Education Alliance in Saginaw, Michigan. A busy year for Chris, to say the least!


Speaking of busy individuals, Alicia Jennings (who will gracefully enter her 40s this coming November) has been quite the world traveler this year; that’s actually a major understatement as Alicia has been traveling non-stop for the last few years as senior White House producer for NBC News. With 15 years at NBC and a decade working specifically within the West Wing, she has definitely earned her share of airline miles (if only Air Force One had a frequent flyer program!). One of her recent work trips took her to South Africa, where she traveled with President Obama for the funeral services of Nelson Mandela in mid-December. The “day” trip actually lasted a mammoth 51 hours door to door and included a brief stop in Senegal on the leg home. Just days before heading across the globe Alicia was able to move heaven and earth to make a surprise hospital visit to dear friend Elizabeth Manheim Ades, who had just given birth in New Jersey!


As far as 40th birthday get-togethers, my first official report comes from Bill Tovell. Bill, an executive director at J.P. Morgan, recently had a timely mini-reunion with fellow ’96s Andrew Webb, John Barrett and Vanessa Santaga-Barrett at a surprise birthday party for Brian Dunbar held in Bill’s hometown of South Beach, Florida, in November. He said that while they “could not find an ’80s band to meet Dr. Dunbar’s request,” they did enjoy both the beach itself and VIP area of Nikki Beach. They also made arrangements to gather in Dr. Dunbar’s “legendary” hometown of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, this summer (when Bill hits the big 40 in August).


Check out our new class website at 1996.dartmouth.org!


—Garrett Gil de Rubio, 1062 Middlebrooke Drive, Canton, GA 30115; ggdr@alum.dartmouth.org