Dear Class of 2000,

Welcome to the inaugural on-line newsletter for the Class of 2000. Since most of us spend a significant amount of time on the Internet, we have put our newsletter on our class website. From this site, you can update your contact information, join the On-Line Community, find other classmates, or submit a newsnote to be published in the next newsletter. I would like to start a tradition of creating a newsletter that engages our class and updates you about classmates and our alma mater. I was really impressed in looking at this first batch of updates by what a variety of projects our alumni are involved in. Even after only two years, our classmates have achieved great things, and I look forward to seeing what future newsletters will bring.

I want to encourage all classmates to take an active role in our class newsletter. If you or a classmate you know has recently done something exciting, traveled, or just has some news to share, please let us know. I know you all enjoy reading about your friends, and they would love to read about you. Please submit a newsnote about yourself, what you’ve been up to, or how this past year may have affected you. My goal is to promote communication among classmates by personalizing the newsletters and generating enthusiasm in future class programming.

Finally, if you haven’t been back to Penn lately, why not return for Homecoming in November? This year Penn will play Brown on November 2nd. For any additional information, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (215) 898-7811 or alumni@ben.dev.upenn.edu.

Best wishes,

Lisa R. Marshall
Class President

A-E | F-J | K-O | P-S | T-Z

Susan Altman C’00 writes, “I've been living in New York for the past two years working at Datamonitor as a healthcare market research analyst.”

Phil Apostol C’00 resides in Center City, Philadelphia. He is a research assistant at the center for psychotherapy research in the University of Pennsylvania’s psychiatry department. Phil will be applying to the PhD clinical psych programs in the fall.

Kacey (Kimberly C.) Baker C’00 writes, “After two years in finance, I realized I have one life in this body so I really should start having some serious fun. Quit my job, sold all my belongings, said goodbye to the parents and friends, and left the United States. Am currently living in a lovely bungalow on a tropical island in the middle of the Gulf of Thailand. Regardless of what I'm doing, I'm laughing.”

Kimberly Bardy C’00 writes, “I live in Colorado, where I work for the American Lung Association of Colorado and enjoy all of the hiking, biking, and skiing I can squeeze into my days. I'm planning on heading back to grad school (for Public Health) next year, preferably in a location that has mountains and lots of snow!”

Ariel H. Bierbaum C’00 writes, “I have been living in Philadelphia for the past two years, working at the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program as the Director of Community Murals. I facilitate and manage close to 100 large scale mural projects city-wide, working with community groups and artists to produce murals as part of neighborhood beautification and revitalization efforts. I am now researching graduate programs in City Planning and Geography for admission
in Fall 2003.”

George Blaustein Jr. C’00 writes, “As of September I will be starting my second year (of five or six) at Harvard in the Program in the History of American Civilization. (That's the full awkward title.)”

Teneille R. Brown C’00 writes “I spent my first year after graduation sitting on the dock of the bay with Otis, working in a law firm. I then quit my job after deferring admission to grad school, and traveled around West Africa, teaching Bio/Health Education and administering a non-profit fund. I went back to SF and worked for a short while for the SF Health Authority before starting law school last month. No matter where you go (well, maybe not Ghana) there are awesome Penn alums to chill with.”

Matija J. Cale Nu’00 writes, “I live in Brentwood, Calif. and have been out in the Los Angeles area for the past two years. I work as a registered nurse in the Emergency Room at UCLA Medical Center. I have been accepted to Harvard's School of Public Health and will probably attend (I deferred for one year) in fall 2003 for the Master's program in health policy and management.”

Joshua Callahan W’00, C’00 has been in San Francisco since graduating. After lasting just three months in his first job before layoffs struck, he has spent the last year-and-a-half working as an analyst for Catellus Development, a large commercial property developer. In addition, he is an active member of San Francisco’s bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2012, working on the Bid Team’s budget proposals and community awareness projects. “Free time is spent competing in triathlons and enjoying life in California. Got to see many old Penn friends in NYC last New Year’s, and watched former fellow DP-editor Kent Malmros walk down the aisle with Cindy Deren (both class of 2000) this past June.”

Lindsay Corbett C’00 writes, “ After graduating early in December, I've been working in NYC at Bear Stearns on the retail side and am moving to my third and hopefully final apartment on the UES.”

Sherry Deckman C’00 writes, “For the past two years I've been living in Washington, D.C. teaching high school Spanish, ESL and Journalism as part of the Teach For America Program at Calvin Coolidge Senior High School. I plan to return for a third and final year next year and have no clue what I'll do after that.”

Andrew McDonald Exum C’00 writes, “After graduating from Penn and being commissioned as a lieutenant in the Army, I attended 'graduate school' at U.S. Army Ranger School, where I lost 34 pounds over 64 days and almost died from frostbite, starvation, etc. But thankfully, I lived and reported to my new platoon in the 10th Mountain Division in May of 2001. I deployed with my platoon to Kuwait and then Afghanistan in the aftermath of September 11th. I fought in the Shah-i-Kot Valley Campaign, also known as 'Operation Anaconda.' I led my platoon on four missions into enemy territory and brought all 34 of my boys back home every time, a fact that makes me damn proud. I also have more war stories than any 24-year old should have which I will inevitably embellish over the years and with which I can scare my grandchildren. I am now back in the United States and am readjusting to the welcome boredoms of American life.”

Lindsay Faber C’00 writes, “After graduation, I moved to New York and began studying journalism at Columbia University. The program was tremendous, bringing me to all corners of Harlem, the Rockaways and Brooklyn for major investigations, some of which were published. I graduated in May 2001, and then took a job in Connecticut at Greenwich Time and The Stamford Advocate, two newspapers co-owned by The Chicago Tribune. I cover the police departments, crime and the court system, all of my favorite stomping grounds. The job has been amazing, giving me the opportunity to serve as the lead reporter on the Michael Skakel murder investigation and trial. Several of my legal stories and crime investigations made it to the national wires and even provoked my national television debut.”

Cindy Funk Nu’00 emails, “I am currently working as an ICU travel nurse in San Diego, and plan to travel to Denver soon. I will be starting Nurse Anesthesia school at Virginia Commonwealth University in August.”

Sarah Goldfeder C’00 writes, “The year after graduating from Penn, I spent a year studying photography at the International Center of Photography in Manhattan. It was great and I got to meet lots of international students. The following year (this past year) I have been in medical school at the University of Rochester Medical Center. It is challenging and interesting. For the summer I have been studying medicine in Prague, Czech Republic with four other classmates from U of R. What a great city!”

Ensign Jonathan S. Gough C’00 returned in April from a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Gulf while assigned to the dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island, home-ported in Little Creek, Va. The ship supports specially designed hovercraft that deliver vehicles and equipment.

Peggy Hanefors C’00 writes, “After graduation I returned to Sweden to live and work. The reverse culture shock got to me and I have been trying to get back to the U.S. every since. Finally I have succeded. I am very happy to say that this fall I will return to work at the site of my old student job, the Undergraduate Admissions Office at Penn. Although now in a different position; Assistant Director of Transfer and International Admissions. This past summer I have studied Spanish in Guatemala and relaxed. Ahora hablo un poco. These past two years I have also been fortunate enough to be able to meet up with many classmates in places as diverse as London, Stockholm, Accra and New York.”

Adam Harris C’00 writes, “I'm attending medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, N.Y.”

Josh Heald W’00 writes, “After graduation, I moved to San Francisco, where I worked as a management consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton for about a year, before they unloaded their entire junior staff in one fell swoop. It was terrific, though, because I took my severance pay and went home to N.J., where I bought a car and ate some delicious home-cooked meals before driving cross-country back to Calif., this time settling in Los Angeles. I've decided to follow my dream of screenwriting and have been very patient and diligent in that regard. I've been working for a few of the studios, reading scripts for execs, which allows me to work from home and use my free time to write. I'm still in the early part of my career (read: no summer blockbuster with my name on it yet), but I've been able to establish myself with a terrific management team and am immensely positive about my future in the industry. I share an apartment with Harold Lee C/W’00, a recently displaced banking analyst, and live nearby to Jon Hurwitz W’00, a great friend and established screenwriter who has been invaluable in helping to open doors for my career. I've come in contact with many Penn alums in Los Angeles, many from our class - there's quite a large community in the area.”

Jane Hill C’00 writes, “I’m in my third year as a teacher in the South Bronx through Teach for America, a program which places recent college graduates in under-resourced public schools. I am also in a graduate program at Columbia University and expect to finish my M.A. in May of 2003. If you are in New York or are going to come and visit, drop me an email at janehill@hotmail.com.”

Jeff Hoffner W’00 writes, “I currently live in Manhattan and work as a research analyst at Scout Capital, a $350mm long/short hedge fund. Prior to that, I worked as an investment banker in the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman Sachs.”

Kay B. Hsu EAS/W’00, GEng’01 married R. Brian Chin C’00 in Wilmington, Del., on Aug. 18. Members of the wedding party included Jennifer Chin C’02 (Brian’s sister), Jenny Li C/EAS’00, Erin Wong EAS’02, Steven Strawser C’00, and Robert Schwartz C’02. Alice Lux EAS’02, Kristen Wermuth W’02, Donald Kim C’98, Jackie Wong W’99, Jesse Leung EAS/W’99, Karl Russo W’00, Lia Fantuzzo C’00, Kristy Sundjaja EAS’00, Jennifer Yau W’01, Wendy Chan EAS’00, Luanne Wong C’00, Helen Yu C’98, Heidi Lutjens Nu’01, and Margaret Yen C’01 were other Penn people participating and assisting in the wedding. Kay and Brian now live in the San Francisco Bay Area and hope to hear from friends and classmates at kay_chin@hotmail.com.

Rebecca Iverson C’00 writes, “I lived in Austin for some time working at Trilogy, but now happily am in NYC doing research and business development for Edison Schools.”

Jonathan Jungblut W’00 writes, “I am living in Jersey City with Todd Johnson W'99. I worked for one and a half years at the Gale Company, a large Northeast developer of commercial real estate. Currently, I am unemployed with the end of the bear market in sight, I hope. I see Penn people at the shadiest of places in New York City, but then again what am I doing at those places? If you are in the real estate industry, feel free to shoot me an email at jonathanjungblut@hotmail.com. Also, if anyone has an interest in urban redevelopment, they should definitely send me an email as well.”

Jill Kleczko C’00 writes, "For the past two years I have been working at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NYC in research and management. I recently was accepted into a Masters in Public Administration program for Healthcare Management and Policy at NYU. I've been living in the city for one year, having fun exploring all it has to offer."

Meryl Koenig C’00 in May graduated from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts with a master’s degree in French-horn performance. “This summer I am working as manager of operations at the Tanglewood Institute in the Berkshires. In September I will move back to New York to pursue a career as a soloist.”

Paige Kollock C’00 writes, “moved to San Francisco after graduation to take a job with NBC Internet (NBCi.com) doing Product Development. Company shut down. Another .com tragedy at its best. Worked at small investment bank, Lazard Freres, for five months then gleefully quit. Ran a marathon. Flew across country and then drove back the other direction to the idyllic town of Sun Valley, Idaho. Lived there for the summer, nestled along the Sawtooth mountains, worked in an art gallery and served up a mean cocktail at the famous 'Whiskey Jacques'. Crammed in four years of missed biking, hiking, and camping that West Philly could not provide. Returned to San Francisco with journalism on the mind and have been working for the local ABC affiliate ever since (KGO - Channel 7). 3:00 a.m.-noon is the shift I have had the pleasure of working. My sights are set on reporting and until that comes to fruition, nothing less will satisfy. Hello fellow ’00ers.”

Debra Kurshan C’00 writes, “Tara McGuiness C’00 is doing women's political training in Nepal. She works for NDI (National Democracy Org- I think) and was working in the D.C. office for a year and then went to Bangladesh to work on their elections and is now in Nepal. I think her funding is through Sept 2003. We just met up in Thailand for a few days before I went to Vietnam and Cambodia with my family. I am heading back to Ghana, and I will be back in the states in Nov. As for me for the last two years I have been in Ghana in the Peace Corps. I am working in a town called Bongo in the north near the Burkina Faso border. I was assigned to do HIV/AIDS education which I do through workshops, training peer educators, and a drama club but my main project is that I started a HIV/AIDS and Computer Center. I teach computers using an AIDS curriculum. I don't work specifically on women's issues but I am trying to work on mentoring young women.”

Kevin Liu C’00 writes, “Since graduation, I've been living in New York and working for Tigris Consulting, a supply chain management consultancy (which currently employs several other Penn alumni) I travel frequently for work, but love being in the city on the weekends - and catching up with friends from school who are in the area.”

Troy Madres C’00 writes, “I have been living in Center City Philadelphia since graduation, and am currently working for a public sector consulting firm in Philadelphia called Public Financial Management. This firm represents cities in a variety of financial environments, from bond deals to plugging budget deficits. In my free time, I have co-founded a civic organization called Young Involved Philadelphia, with fellow alum Andrew Hohns W'00. This organization aims to engage young professionals to get involved in Philadelphia related issues as well as advocating for good government reforms. If you are in Philly, or would like to drop a line, send me an email at troy_madres@yahoo.com.”

Anne Mani C’00 writes, “Last year I worked for an Internet startup called chaitime.com as the Content Manager of the Arts and Literature channel of the website. Then I was accepted into medical school at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, and I started med school in Fall 2001. I just finished my first year.”

Lisa Marshall C’00 writes, “I am beginning my third year at Tulane Law School in New Orleans, La. Last summer I returned to Philadelphia to clerk in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and this summer I am in New York working for the New York City Law Department. In the fall I will return to school and work part-time at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. I am looking forward to my last year and can’t wait to see where I’ll end up next.”

Kevin McCabe C’00 writes, “I have moved from management consulting in D.C. to day-trading in NYC to sales and marketing for the Philadelphia Phantoms (in Philadelphia). Now living back in West Philly, playing summer league baseball, and visiting the Jersey Shore on weekends...”

Mark Metzl C’00 writes, “I am in my third year of medical school at the University of Illinois and live in Chicago. I am enjoying both the city and my studies.”

Lindy Miller C’00 writes, “I worked in Statistical Reports at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta for four months before going to Udaipur, India to do research in village finance for a year. I am now an Americorps volunteer at ACCION New York, a non-profit microcredit organization. I will be attending the Kennedy School at Harvard in a month to begin a two-year masters in public administration for international development.”

Ensign James Miranda W’00 is serving aboard the U.S. Navyguided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh.

Rachel Police C’00 writes, “What have I been up to…teaching literature and reading classes around Boston for an academic summer program. In the fall will be (hopefully) working at Harvard in the academic development office while taking classes towards my graduate degree. Still living up here with my three fabulous roommates. Loving Boston, the Red Sox, traveling to San Fran to see my beau....and that’s about it!!!”

Amudha Poola C’00 writes, “After taking the summer off to travel around Europe with my Penn friends, I began work at a South Asian website, Chaitime.com, in Philly. Unfortunately, like many other start-ups, it fell prey to the market, and I lost my job. But this, too, had a silver lining. I decided to apply to the London School of Economics for my Master's. So, right now I am in London, busy completing my dissertation for my Msc in Comparative Politics, before I head off to law school at Boston University this fall. I have no set idea about what sort of law I will practice, but hopefully it will land me back in London!”

Nathan Raab C’00 writes, “I worked as a journalist for the Associated Press in Rome, Italy. I covered the Pope, the mafia, the government and elections and entertainment stuff. Also did freelance work for the Economist and covered business figures for an American audience. Moved to Washington D.C. after September 11th and do communications for a Congressman from Eastern Connecticut.”

Edisa Gonzalez Revilla C’00 writes, “for the past two years I have been living in California... The first year I lived in Berkeley (with two fellow Penn'00 grads... Julie Kessler and Claudia Belmont) and worked as a waitress at "la Mediterranee," a restaurant there. For the last year, I have been living in San Francisco and working at a non profit that deals with employment and training services---> Arriba Juntos (www.arribajuntos.org). I am now living with another fellow Penn '00 grad: Amy McCall.”

Michael Ridloff W’00 writes, “I just left the investment banking analyst program at Bear Stearns. I’m still living in NYC.”

Ryan Robinson W’00 writes, “After traveling across America - from North Carolina to Alaska, I came out to start my dream job in San Francisco. Two months later, I lost my job and started to find myself. Every weekend is a chance to hike, bike, snowboard or just make a bonfire on the beach. I've found my niche working for a hedge fund and loving my job. All in all, life is still great.”

Patrick Ruffini C’00 writes, “I am working for the Republican National Committee in their communications department.”

Dr. Dale E. Scanlon CGS’00 and his wife, Laura, announce the birth of their second daughter, Eilyse Rhyan, on Oct. 19. Seven-year-old Cayley Megan is a proud big sister.

Micah Sherr ENG’00 writes, “I'm currently living in NYC. I work for Columbia University and am taking some graduate classes. I am also in the process of applying To Whom It May Concern: graduate schools to get a PhD in computer science.”

Jeffrey Simons C’00 is attending the Northwestern University School of Law.

Leigh Stevens CGS’00, an artist with Philadelphia’s BaseKamp collaborative, participated in Speak, an invitational group exhibition that explored the use of converted, reconstructed, or obfuscated language in visual art, at the Painted Bride Art Center in February and March.

Laura Swibel C/EAS’00 and Michael Rosenthal EAS/W’00 WG’01 recently got engaged and are planning a wedding for June 2003. They live in Chicago where he is an associate at McKinsey & Company, and she is a medical student at the University of Illinois; they can be emailed at laura.h.swibel.c00@alumni.upenn.edu and michael_rosenthal@mckinsey.com.

Marie Thoma C’00 writes, “I've been currently living in New York and working at Columbia's School of Public Health in the Population and Family Health Department. I'm a Program Coordinator for a project known as the Rakai Project that does Family Health, Reproductive Health, and STD and HIV Prevention work in Uganda. I visited the project in Uganda last year and will probably go back again to help initiate a new study we are doing. Now, though, I'm switching jobs to become the project coordinator at Johns Hopkins for the same project, just different locations. It's a joint collaboration between Columbia, Hopkins, and the Uganda Virus Research Institute. Other than that, I found out I got into the lottery for the NYC Marathon, so I've been training for that. In this heatwave!!”

Stephanie Tipping C’00 writes, “I lived in San Francisco for two years, working for Robertson Stephens, an investment bank there that recently shut down... interesting times to say the least. I'm now living in Lima, Peru, working for Technoserve, a U.S. based non-profit economic development firm. I've been here about two weeks now and will remain until October, at which point I'll move back to San Francisco. So far, I´m enjoying the work and learning a ton about Peruvian life. If you hear about any other Penn grads spending time in Peru, please let me know!”

Ameesh Vakharia W’00 was recently appointed an associate in the New York office of Metropolitan Venture Partners, a private-equity firm focused on technology investments.

Joseph Yiu W’00 writes, “Upon graduation, I returned home to New York City and joined a startup specialty finance company called Polestar Capital Group. Polestar Capital Group is an investment bank that finances commercial real estate by structuring bonds. It’s been quite a roller coaster ride working for a startup company. Originally, we shared a small office with a marketing company in midtown. When we finally got funded 6 months later, we moved down to Battery Park and grew our company from five to 12 people. After 9/11, we were forced to move to Jersey City. It looks like we’ve finally found a home! Currently, I live in Fort Lee, N.J. Give me a holla if you wanna catch up, joeyiu_98@yahoo.com.”