The Class of 1984 got together on the occasion of our 35th reunion for dinner on the Harkness patio on Friday and then for dinner on Saturday at Zinc in New Haven. Dean Alpern joined us briefly at Zinc to welcome us back. We fondly remembered both Ronnie Rosenberg and Sabra Jones, our classmates who have died, at dinner on Saturday. Some of our classmates attended the events on Friday and Saturday during the day. We have asked those classmates who attended our reunion to provide a brief update (in their own words) for these notes. Edits and tweaks added by your committed Reunion Chair, Susan Baserga. It was great to catch up with everyone!
Sam Bern: My wife and I live in Ventura, CA where we share a plastic surgery practice and three wonderful grown kids. I met her at MGH and we've been together 33 years. My practice is mostly surgery for melanoma and skin cancer reconstruction. I do long surgery trips to Baja Mexico every six months to repair cleft lips/palates. I still scuba dive maybe two times a year and do open water swimming. I won the over-60 men's crossing in San Francisco Bay last summer (wetsuit division.) I enjoy seeing old friends, feeling the bittersweet pain of nostalgia.
Michael Caplan: Michael never did a residency, and is thus a huge disappointment to his parents, who thought for sure that he would be a doctor. He and Joanne are still in New Haven and still working for Yale, demonstrating that they are either very happy here, or have a pathological fear of change, which may not be mutually exclusive.
Bob Havlik (guest Nancy Havlik): During my last year of general surgery, I met Nancy Lyon who was then a medical intern, also at Yale. We married one Tuesday afternoon five years later in Warren, Vermont on a covered bridge, when I was a Craniofacial fellow at Penn and Nancy was a Dermatology resident at Harvard. We have two wonderful children, John and Anne, at the University of Chicago. John will start medical school at Yale this fall. We’ve been in Wisconsin for the past six years, where I am Chair of Plastic Surgery at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and practice craniofacial and plastic surgery.
Emilio Juncosa: Practicing gynecology in Miami. Twin daughters, 16 years old want to go to Yale.
Phil Krause (guest Corina Milo): Enjoying work at FDA office of vaccines. Proud parent of 2, one studying artificial intelligence and the other starting medical school this year. Greatly enjoyed catching up this year, wish we could get together more often and am happy to meet or host classmates who find themselves in the Washington, DC area.
Richard Leff: I live in Kennett Township, PA near Wilmington, DE. I work as a consultant in Pharmaceutical Development and Rheumatology and Other Autommune Diseases. I am also running in 2019 for re-election as a Township Supervisor (see Leff4Supervisor.org for more information.) My wife and I live in a restored stone barn with a rescue dog, not far from our two grown sons who live in Philadelphia, PA.
Rich Marottoli: I’m still in New Haven.
William Rios: I love what I do, maybe a little slower pace. Patients make me richer as a person. Slowing my practice to part-time (never can see myself retiring.) Music with my band, my beautiful wife and daughters are the purpose of life for now. I love my Yale MS classmates, an honor to be here with you!
Robert Staszewski: Brother Harry - YMS. Stepdaughter Mikki - YMS. I'm a dermatologist in Boston, MA.
Mark Stein: Just bought a new, larger house, 2 blocks from my current home to encourage my kids to have grandchildren and come visit with us. At least that's my wife's plan.
Diana Traquina (guest Bernard Vasseur): I have been in private practice in NJ for 20 years doing Pediatric Otolaryngology. We have 4 boys and are now empty nesters and trying to get used to it. Really enjoy looking back and visiting with old friends.
Susan Tredwell: I am the first to retire, which has made for some very interesting conversations. Advice - be brave! Abandon your children! It's easier than you think.
Aron Wahrman (guest Peggy Wahrman): I am an Associate Professor of Plastic Surgery at University of PA and Chief of Plastic at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center. These recent years have made me so much more grateful for my years at Yale, my wonderful wife Peg and five kids. Sue Baserga introduced me to pesto and blue Bass weejuns loafers!
Douglas A. Webber: My daughter, Tiffany was born a few weeks following our graduation in 1984. She is currently a practicing attorney in Memphis, TN and she will be married in 3 weeks from this weekend - our 35th reunion.
Also attending the dinner on Saturday were Michael Brines (guest Patricia Brines), who is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Araim Pharmaceuticals; Robert Winchell, director of the Trauma Center and chief of the Division of Trauma, Burns, Critical and Acute Care at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center; Peter Glazer, Robert E. Hunter Professor of Therapeutic Radiology and Professor of Genetics, Chair, Department of Therapeutic Radiology, YSM and your committed Reunion Chair, Susan Baserga, Professor of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, Genetics and Therapeutic Radiology at Yale University and YSM. Our classmates who could not make it were missed—we look forward to seeing you at our 40th.
-- submitted by Susan Baserga