April-May 2009

Welcome to the April-May 2009 issue of the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) e-newsletter, the Extension Chord. In this issue, you will find information about the upcoming HEAA board elections, news from 51 Brattle Street including changes to the degree and certificate programs, HEAA events, and selected alumni news items.

As always, we welcome your ideas and suggestions for the Chord and HEAA. Questions and comments may be sent to Grace Scheibner, HEAA president, at grace_scheibner@harvard.edu.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Grace Scheibner, ALB ’90
HEAA President

Karen Droisen
Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs and Development
Harvard Extension School

In This Issue

• HEAA Board Elections
• News from 51 Brattle
• Announcement: Join Us on Facebook and LinkedIn!
• HEAA Events
• Alumni News

HEAA Board Elections

All HEAA members are invited to participate in the biennial process of electing an executive board. The nomination process and the election itself will take place online and require prior registration at the Harvard Alumni Association’s website, Post.Harvard.

HEAA members may self-nominate using the online form for any of the five positions:

• President
• Vice-President
• Chair of Alumni Relations
• Chair of Communications
• Chair of Events

The self-nomination process will begin on July 1 and end on July 29. More information about the election process will be sent to all HEAA members via postal mail and e-mail in early June.

Questions? Please contact the Alumni Office.

News from 51 Brattle

Changes to degree and certificate programs announced
Beginning with the new academic year, 2009–10, Harvard Extension School will be phasing out its graduate certificate programs and introducing new degree requirements for the master’s degree in management. To learn more, visit the Extension School website.

Take a class at Harvard this summer!
The Harvard Summer School offers nearly 300 courses and most are open admission. Register now. To learn more, visit the Summer School website.

2009 Lowell Lecture featuring Robert Kuttner
Robert Kuttner, the distinguished author of the recently published Obama’s Challenge: America’s Economic Crisis and the Power of a Transformative Presidency, drew from his writing to deliver the 2009 Lowell Lecture at Harvard. His lecture addressed the economic challenges facing the nation, and the political challenges of rising to the occasion.

Announcement: Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn!

Reconnect with other Harvard Extension alumni and learn about upcoming events through the HEAA Facebook and LinkedIn groups.

Membership in the Facebook group requires a Facebook account and is limited to Harvard Extension alumni only. Search for “Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA)” and click the “Request to Join” link. New to Facebook? Visit the Facebook website to create an account.

Membership in the LinkedIn group requires a LinkedIn account and is limited to Harvard Extension alumni and current students. Search for “Harvard Extension School—Current Students & Alumni” and click the “Join this group” link. New to LinkedIn? Visit the LinkedIn website to create an account.

HEAA Events

Recent HEAA Events

Evening with the Stars: Supernovae

Sunday, April 19, 2009
Harvard College Observatory

Over sixty Harvard Extension alumni and friends gathered at the Phillips Auditorium to hear E. Samuel Palmer, astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, discuss supernovae. After learning about the luminous explosions of supergiant stars, attendees visited the observatory roof to look through the Clark telescope and to learn more about the visible night sky with members of the Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston.

Upcoming HEAA Events

Join us for an upcoming event! You will receive postcard and broadcast e-mail invitations to each event about two weeks before its scheduled date.

For more information on the following events, please visit the HEAA Events page.

Alumni News

We love to hear from you! To send us a class note, log in at Post.Harvard, select Alumni Notes in the upper left column, and Add a Note at the top of the page. You can also send your news directly to alumni@dcemail.harvard.edu.

Antonia Ellis, ALM ’08, is engaged and living in New York City.

Lindsay A. LeCain, ALB ’08, is engaged to Isaac J. Hall, Harvard College, class of 2003.

Nick D. Maceus, ALM ’08, has accepted a position on the legal underwriting team at Debt Xchange, working with the FDIC to handle the toxic loan assets of the insolvent banks at the center of the current financial downturn.

Teresa Wong, ALM ’08, is working at Transfiguration Kindergarten School where her daughter Michelle is attending. She takes care of the school’s computer network and supports the donation and fundraising functions. She reports, “The children are lovely, energetic, and they make me feel younger!”

Elena K. Barganova, ALM ’07, is a training manager at ExxonMobil Corp. and is currently running two stores. She hopes to negotiate a career between Europe and the United States in the upcoming years.

Wendy M. Bergeron, ALM ’07, recently became the curator at the American Independence Museum in Exeter, New Hampshire. She is still teaching high school social studies and is currently enrolled in a graduate certificate program in historic preservation.

Ron Kravette, ALM ’06, has taught history, government, and politics at Northern Essex Community College since graduating in 2006. In his primary career, he coaches the national-championship-winning synchronized ice skating team the Haydenettes (currently ranked top three in the world). He also coaches the Boston University synchronized skating team and three others.

Ian Maisel, CPC ’06, recently relocated from Boston to San Francisco where he is a freelance graphic designer.

Elizabeth V. McNeil, ALB ’06, was honored by the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Community Health Centers and the MGH Community Health Associates with the award Celebrating Women for being a role model for living a vibrant, healthy life.

Vivian Orozco Chagui, CSS ’05, has a new position as project leader at Liberty Mutual and a new baby, David Elias Visbal, born on January 4, 2009.

Donald Gottfried, CSS ’05, advises individuals and business owners on how to achieve their goals with more certainty and less risk—something everyone is looking for these days.

Mark S. Gold, ALM ’05, recently represented Berkshire Museum in the removal of three Russian paintings sold at auction by Sotheby’s for $7 million.

Jason E. Lindsey, ALM ’04, is an active duty Air Force Major and was recently selected (two years early) for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. He is certainly serving a year-long fellowship in the office of Senator Thad Cochran. He and his wife Karen welcomed their first child, Cameron Patrick Lindsey, on June 3, 2008.

Andrea Toochin, CPC ’04, has launched an online lifestyle-trend-forecasting magazine called Trendcetera, which is dedicated to informing Americans about international trends.

Anthony R. Leone, II, ALM ’02, was sworn into the Supreme Court of the United States on January 13, 2009. Leone, of Leone Law, LLC, is licensed to practice law in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He, his wife Chelsie, and son Zachary reside in Cranston, Rhode Island.

David Palmieri, ALM ’02, is teaching French at Auburn University this year. He recently wrote a chapter on Emily Dickinson’s reception in France and Quebec for a book published by Continuum Press, and another on Elizabeth Bishop for a book published by the University of Missouri Press.

Sharon Baghai, CSS ’01, is currently working on her master of business administration degree and serves as managing director for Shane Baghai Group of Companies. She married in 2005 and her daughter Emma was born in 2006.

James A. Aloisi, ALM ’98, was named the Secretary of the Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works of Massachusetts by Governor Deval Patrick. In his new role as secretary, he will also serve as chairman of the board of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the transit authority.

Doug Holder, ALM ’97, has a new collection of interviews out, From the Paris of New England: Interviews with Poets & Writers, published by Ibbetson Street 2009.

James L. McCall, CSS ’97, was awarded Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist in 2008 and is currently the owner of a mortgage company.

David Benton, ALM ‘90 and CSS ’83, was recently selected for the position of public affairs specialist, Office of Press Relations, Bureau of Public Affairs at the US State Department.

Jane S. MacLean, ALB ’90, is currently the president of the California Conference of Local Health Department Nursing Directors and was the recipient of the Outstanding Nursing Leader award by Vanderbilt University.

Tim Smith, ALM ’90, recently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Air Force after 28 years of service. He is now a program analyst in Federal Emergency Management Agency working in the Headquarters Disaster Operations Directorate, Operational Planning Branch.

Webb Sussman, ALB ’82 and AAE ’80, rejoined Symantec after a 15-year hiatus. He is now working as a Unix Tools engineer and successfully completed three terms as a member of the Regional Transportation Citizens Advisory Committee, serving as chair during his final term.

Leonore James, ABE ’75, was honored at the Massachusetts State House as Executive Director of the Year for her work in the prison system.

Gilda Vretea Kornhauser, AB ’74, completed her master’s degree in education at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Previously, she earned a degree in musical education at George Washington University and worked as a music teacher.

Robert B. Miller, AB ’72 and AA ’71, is busy with a multitude of hobbies, memberships, and activities including Central Virginia Beekeepers Association, Charlottesville Astronomical Society, Friends of Leander McCormick Observatory, Albemarle Amateur Radio Club, and Fluvanna County Historical Society.

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