Class of 2019

Arvin Singh has been appointed Secretary of Health for the West Virginia Morrisey Administration. Dr. Singh brings a wealth of experience and expertise, including serving as vice president of strategy and communications for University of Maryland Shore Regional Health since 2020. He also was chairman of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce and chief operating officer for OHL, a provider network affiliate of the Louisiana State University Health System. Beyond corporate organizations, Dr. Singh worked with Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he led initiatives and spearheaded population health projects that transformed patient transportation and care delivery. His professional journey includes formative roles as an intern in the U.S. House of Representatives and the Executive Office of the President, and as a Pathways Program participant at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These experiences offered him invaluable insights into the intersection of public policy, healthcare strategy, and governmental operations—an essential foundation for his current role. His firsthand understanding of federal and legislative processes uniquely positions him to lead West Virginia’s health initiatives with a comprehensive perspective.

Eric Lewin writes: “On November 4, my wife, Emily Shire, and I welcomed our daughter Adira Hazel Lewin into the world. She has already brought immeasurable joy to us and numerous Brunonians, including Grandpa Howard Shire ’75, Grandma Sharon Eisenstat Shire ’81, Uncle Adam Lewin ’09, Aunt Sara Epstein Lewin ’08, and Uncle Ethan Shire ’19.”

Judy Kosan Cohen writes that her daughter, Wendy Cohen ’19, had artwork on view at the Brooklyn Museum as part of the Brooklyn Artists Exhibition. Blending weaving techniques with found objects, Wendy creates playful and often precarious-looking forms that embody physical comfort and anxiety. Gram’s Door recreates the front door of Cohen’s grandmother’s apartment, complete with the fixtures from the original door. In the same way that Cohen’s crochet process becomes a record of her time and hand, these objects hold memories of her grandmother’s touch.

Sean Briody published his first book, The Brown University Band: An Ever True History with The History Press. The book dives into the history of Brown’s beloved band in honor of its 100th anniversary in 2024. The back cover states “A ‘scramble’ band, rather than a traditional marching band, the Band provides cheeky entertainment on and off campus. Legendary antics from the world’s only ice-skating band include the infamous bass drum heist by the ‘Foxboro Four’ and notable halftime shows at hundreds of football games. While invariably adapting over the years, the band keeps school songs and spirit alive and maintains its longstanding traditions.” Contact Sean at: [email protected].

Catherine Campo writes: “I founded/write a free e-newsletter for Hollywood hopefuls that was profiled in Business Insider. It has over 1,000 subscribers and features exclusive interviews with industry players, entertainment news updates, op-eds, and more, with the goal of breaking down barriers and sharing insider knowledge more equitably. The newsletter (The Hollywood Assistant) has definitely been a very Brown-heavy operation. Past interviewees have included Elise Dadourian ’20, Nate Kublin ’20, Chautauqua Ordway ’20, and Emma Weiss ’21. The September issue also featured an op-ed written by Calvin Nickelson ’18. Outside of the newsletter, I am also the young alumni chair for the Brown Club of Los Angeles and a two-time summer mentor through BrownConnect.

Mark your calendar! Reunion 2024 will take place May 24-26. It’s essential to confirm that your alumni profile has the correct email address for updates regarding Reunion Weekend, which will be sent via email. Simply visit my.brown.edu and follow the instructions provided to access your profile.

Eric Lewin writes: “On July 3, I married the love of my life, Emily Shire, in Mamaroneck (N.Y.)  Although Emily made the grave mistake of turning down Brown to attend a school just outside of Boston and not Tufts, fortunately many, many Brunonians, including numerous Brunonian family members, were in attendance. These included father of the bride Howard Shire ’75, mother of the bride Sharon Eisenstat Shire ’81, best man and brother of the groom Adam Lewin ’09, bridesmaid and sister-in-law of the groom Sara Epstein Lewin ’08, and groomsman and brother of the bride Ethan Shire ’19. Other family and friends attending included faculty and alumni ranging from the class of 1975 to the class of 2022.5. I sincerely thank the Alumni Office for letting me borrow a banner for the photo. Ever True!” (see Howard Shire ’75).

Emma Matarasso is studying at Imperial College in London for a master’s of science in climate change, management, and finance. She writes: “Brown was a wonderful experience and preparation.”

Jeff Stewart writes: “Breakaway Partners was acquired by Komodo Health. What is interesting is the high concentration of Brown folks on the Breakaway side! There is Andrew Laubscher ’07 (married to Amanda Puffer ’05, ’08 ScM), PJ Santoro ’04, and myself (married to Karen Steinig ’91, parent to two sons ’20 and ’24). Also on our team are Andrew Coggins ’18 and Dylan Groos ’19. A nice ‘conclusion’ to a gathering of several Brunonians across a few decades.” 

Janet Leung ’16 earned a Bronze medal in women’s softball with Team Canada in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Other Brown Bears competing included Hanna Barakat ’21 of Team Palestine in track and field; Jagger Stephens ’20 represented Guam in swimming; and Cicely Madden ’18, Alex Miklasevich ’19, and Anders Weiss ’15 competed for Team USA in rowing events.

Jack Brook moved to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, to work as a Henry Luce Scholar at the Bophana Audiovisual Resources Center, which trains Cambodian youth to be filmmakers. The Center’s focus on conservation filmmaking led him to the forests of the Mondulkiri province where he got to spend some time with rescue elephants in a nature preserve managed by the local Bunong community. When out of the jungle, he’s been slowly learning to read, write, and speak the Khmer language.

Stephen Buchwald writes: “2019 was a big year for the Buchwald-Haber household. Our son, Nathan Haber Buchwald ’19, graduated from Brown with a degree in chemistry. I was the recipient of several major awards, including the Roger Adams Award from the American Chemical Society and the Wolf Prize in chemistry.”

Nancy Harris writes: “My husband, Brad Parsons ’76, and I enjoyed seeing our youngest son Colby Parsons ’19 graduate. He joins his older brothers, Spencer Parsons ’13 and Cameron Parsons ’14. With all the boys living in different cities in the coming years, we can now happily look forward to seeing them at the many Brown reunions ahead.”

Russell Pierce claims to be the only member of the Class of 1953 to march in the 251st Commencement procession. “I was especially proud that our family now has three generations of Brown graduates, including my wife Anne Guerry Pierce ’58, our daughter Betsy Pierce Dallapé ’86, and son Russell B. Pierce Jr. ’87 and his wife Lisa Strauss Pierce ’87, and their son Ethan G. Pierce ’19. Two other grandsons, Charles Dallapé ’22 and James Dallapé ’23, round out our family list. I ponder whether our family will end up with more Brown degrees than the original Brown family!”