Class Notes
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Di Cai WG13 participated in the 41st annual Seattle International Comedy Competition on November 11, vying against comedians from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Europe, Australia, and Africa. Several WG13 alumni and their partners attended the event. From left: Sarah Mody, Kiki Lam, Shash Mody WG13, Di, Ai-Jung “Lily” Li WG13, Ian Martinez WG13, Michelle Martinez Saperstein, and Kevin Lam G13 WG13.
Mary Gross WG02's family has expanded. Her daughter, Elanor, wed Adam Kass on December 4 in Dallas, TX. The joyful wedding was made even more so by sharing it with dear WEMBA classmates and friends Lynne Dant WG02 and Anita and Mark Lester WG02.
Left: In October, Sandra Shpilberg WG02 became the first Hispanic woman to take a special-purpose acquisition company (Sanaby Health Acquisition Corp. I) public on the Nasdaq. Right: Yana Watson Kakar WG05 (center) and David Birnbaum WG05 (left) teamed up to launch the Growth for Good Acquisition Corporation, a $250 million sustainability-focused special-purpose acquisition company that went public on the Nasdaq in December.
In July 2021, SigEp Penn alumni and their families came together for a safari to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Botswana with fellow fraternity brothers from 4028 Walnut Street to raise funds for Sigma Phi Epsilon and wildlife conservation. Penn alumni in attendance included (from left) Jose Ibietatorremendia W90 L93, Rob Fuller W99, Brett Danko C90, Steve Gresdo W96, and Paul Puleo W87. Rob is co-founder of Africa 360 Travel, a not-for-profit safari travel agency that donates all profits to wildlife conservation and other nonprofits.
Gail Shen WG95 made a visit to Penn with her sons, Alex and Nicholas, last fall.
Lorrie King WG91 (right) writes: "I was able to say aloha to Jane Page WG91 for almost a month in Honolulu. Although it was the rainy season, we enjoyed many days of sunshine filled with family, friends, and amazing food. The pandemic is not going to stop these two."
Richard Hoffman WG73 retired in 2019 after 44 years in higher education as a professor of business. He is pursuing an MA in history and now is also distracted by the arrival of his first grandchild in September. He and wife Karin are awaiting the calming of the pandemic to resume some international travel.
Jacqueline Sturdivant WG02 (second from right) won the November 2021 general election for Red Bank Borough Council. Councilwoman Sturdivant was sworn in on January 1 by Mayor Pasquale Menna, with her mother holding the Bible.
On August 28, Judy Hutchison W94 married her high-school crush, Mitchell Wiencken, in a ceremony at the couple’s home in Portland, OR. Penn friends in attendance were Spencer Wang W92, Jeanne Plessinger Wang W94, Francisco Bayron W94 (and son Jake!), Neeraj Patel C95 W95, Shannon Hoffmann W95, and former Penn admissions director Bruce Chamberlin GRD06. There were highballs consumed and many stories told about memories of Penn.
Fred Westerlund WG97, CEO of MBH Settlement Group, was awarded the October Research 2021 Leadership Award at the National Settlement Services Summit. Established in 2012, the October Research awards program honors men and women in the title, underwriting, lending, and settlement services industries for exemplary accomplishment in the areas of leadership, innovation, and philanthropy.
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