Alumni Notes

Richard T. Silver, M.D. ’53 was awarded the PharmaEssentia 2022 Pioneer Award, which recognizes his leadership in challenging norms and his introduction and application of interferons in treating myeloproliferative diseases, particularly polycythemia vera. He also received a lifetime achievement award in April from the Hematology Society of Taiwan. Dr. Silver He remains active in research activities and teaching as professor emeritus of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Stanley J. Landau, M.D. ’56 lives at North Shore Towers in Queens, N.Y. As he approaches 92, he is in good health, as is his wife, Maxine. He has given up golf for 2023.

Melvin S. Rosh, M.D. ’60 is a retired pediatrician who published a “delightful and uplifting” children’s picture book that has been published in eight languages. The book, “The Guest Who Came from Nowhere,” tells a true story with real characters. It is available on Amazon and in bookstores.

Belle Sumter Carmichael Coleman, M.D. ’64 writes that for the past two years, members of the Class of 1964 have been speaking to each other on Zoom every three months and are now moving it up to every two months. She hopes every class member will join in and enliven their discussions. For more information, please email Sumter.

Lawrence W. Raymond, M.D. ’64 was appointed professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and will be teaching occupational medicine and pulmonology at Wake Forest’s new medical school in Charlotte, N.C. He continues to practice at Atrium Health.

Robert D. Schrock Jr., M.D. ’64 started CAR-T treatment at Duke Health for his recurrent mantle cell lymphoma in February 2023, having first dealt with mantle cell lymphoma in 2007, with each previous recurrence successfully treated. The stem cell transplant that he received in 2015 was relatively new at the time, and the oral chemotherapy drug that put him in remission is an “improved cousin” of the one he took seven years ago. The CAR-T treatment that he will receive was approved in 2019. Dr. Schrock feels very fortunate and asks that the alumni community think of him and wife, Carolyn.

John E. Feldmann, M.D. ’68 is currently working full time as a hospice physician, working from home since the start of COVID-19. He is keeping up with all the latest changes in oncology and is happy not to be involved in all the insurance issues that are becoming more numerous.

Ronald S. Rankin, M.D. ’68 recently enjoyed a road trip to Arizona and stayed with his former Weill Cornell Medicine roommate, Paul Wassermann, M.D.’69, who, he tells us, “is a nationally ranked model train owner and now retired locally famous oncologist.” With winter snow in Utah, Arizona was a warm and sunny retreat.

George A. Arangio, M.D. ’69 is retired. He was part of the class council for ’65 for Cornell University.

Gene D. Resnick, M.D. ’74 recently came under the care of Len Girardi, M.D. ’89; Roger Cappucci, M.D. ’89; and Dave Blumenthal, M.D. ’75 and tells us that, “remarkably, it turns out that Len and Roger were four-year roommates in Olin Hall.” Classmates Dave Fulton, M.D. ’74 and Peter Stone, M.D. ’74 were also valued consultants in Boston. “All has gone well,” says Gene, who has begun another few months of the winter season in La Quinta, Calif., where he sees classmates Dave and Peter. Gene and wife, Susan, have two sons (Cornell ’01, ’06), both married, and four grandkids (two boys in Nashville, and one boy and one girl in Brooklyn), who are their treasures. They feel lucky to resume travel and once again enjoy New York City theater, restaurants and music, as COVID-19 concerns seem to lessen, and to play plenty of golf in the West and East. Gene is retired from an oncology practice and the clinical trials support business that has grown over the years, but has stayed connected as a Cornell University trustee (emeritus) and as a current member of Weill Cornell Medicine’s Board of Fellows.

Matthew D. Gold, M.D. ’75 has been active in the Massachusetts Neurologic Association (MNA), Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) and the American Medical Association (AMA) for decades. He is currently on the executive committee of MNA, is chair of the organized medical staff section of MMS and is the delegate to the AMA House of Delegates of AMA-OMSS and chair of its policy committee. He has authored numerous successful resolutions and aided others in their advocacy. In July 2022, he was featured as the Senior Physician of the Month by the Senior Physicians Section of the AMA.

Paul F. Miskovitz, M.D. ’75 continues to practice consultative gastroenterology and hepatology at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, although the COVID-19 epidemic has markedly altered the nature of medical practice. He tells us “there is much more dependence upon telehealth and the internet.” After a long hiatus, he and spouse Leslie Miskovitz have returned to careful traveling, having visited Paris and Versailles in July 2022, Rhodes and Symi in Greece, and Lake Maggiore, Lake Como and Milan, Italy, all in October 2022. His philosophy is that as one ages, it is “go-go” vs. “slow-go” vs. “no-go.”

Walter F. Schlech III, M.D. ’75 is doing a few shifts a month as an internist in the emergency room, covering admitted patients waiting for beds. Otherwise, he is enjoying retirement — golf, fishing and visiting five kids and 12, going on 13, grandbabies. He is living on the shore in Nova Scotia, and life is good for him and Mary.

Vincent P. DeLuise, M.D. ’77 has retired from clinical practice. He is still teaching ophthalmology at Yale University School of Medicine, and medical humanities and bioethics at the Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine. He has more time and space now to grandparent and to pursue the clarinet, performing in recitals with pianists and string quartets.

Connie B. Newman, M.D. ’78 has been elected chair of the North American region of the Medical Women’s International Association. Members held a North American regional congress in conjunction with the American Medical Women’s Association annual meeting, March 23-26, 2023, in Philadelphia, with the themes of diversity, leadership, advocacy and innovation. For more information, please contact Connie.

Paul Skudder, M.D. ’79 writes, “‘Rick’ Frank Richards, Jr., M.D. ’79, Mike Snyder, M.D. ’79, Dave Jacobs, M.D. ’79, and Paul Skudder, M.D. ’79, shared four years together at Williams College before entering Weill Cornell Medical College. Rick, Mike and I happened to meet at a Williams event in Williamstown, Mass., in April, and shared memories of both college and medical school years. Rick and Mike are still at work full time, I am working half time and pursuing volunteer, family and recreational interests on other days.”

Stuart B. Pink, M.D. ’80 is still performing cardiology vascular procedures at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Michael D. Steiner, M.D. ’81 was the first recipient of the King County Medical Society Community Foundation’s Heart of Gold Award, presented in November 2022.

Leslie E. Eisenbud (Quint), M.D. ’82 received the gold medal from the Society for Advanced Body Imaging (SABI) in October 2022 in New Orleans, honored for her lifetime academic contributions, achievements and leadership in the field of radiology. Leslie retired from the University of Michigan Medical Center this past summer after more than 35 years on the faculty, where she was one of the youngest tenured professors in the history of the institution.

Scott D. Hayworth, M.D. ’84, after 25 years as CEO of CareMount Medical/Optum Tri-State, transitioned into a new national role as senior vice president and chief physician liaison officer for Optum Health, the largest employer of physicians in the United States. He and his wife, Nan A.S. Hayworth, M.D. ’85 were honored at the 2022 Transformations gala for Northern Westchester Hospital. They divide their time between their homes in Bedford, N.Y., and Bonita Springs, Fla.

Elizabeth A. Sauter, M.D. ’84 had a rewarding OB/GYN practice for 30 years, which was prematurely curtailed by a life-changing back disability. Not ready, intellectually or emotionally, to give up caring for patients, she found the MAVEN (Medical Alumni Volunteer Expert Network) project through which, for the last five years, she has given e-consults, webinars, small group education and mentoring to internists, family practice MDs, APRNs, NPs and MAs in 298 clinics in underserved, underinsured communities across the United States. She also founded and consults at the Addis Clinic in Kenya. During the initial COVID-19 onset, she provided a weekly OB/GYN presentation to the clinics and was captain of five contact tracers within her community. She also knits, swims and walks her black Lab. She thanks Weill Cornell Medicine for giving her the knowledge and critical thinking skills to be able to continue to volunteer helping practitioners and patients.

Fayne L. Frey, M.D. ’87 is proud to announce the release of her book “The Skincare Hoax” (Skyhorse Publishing/Simon & Schuster distribution), an exposé on the marketing and sales tactics of cosmetic skincare.

Paul J. Hauptman, M.D. ’87 began a new position as dean of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine in October 2022.

Paul R. Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 writes that he has agreed to take up the challenge of working with Mark B. Pochapin, M.D. ’88; Alexis E. Te, M.D. ’88 and Theresa M. Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 as class leaders for their Class of 1988 35th reunion in 2024, so classmates may hear more from him this year! He is planning to look for new challenges and take some time for rest and recreation as he steps away from his position as CEO of Labcorp Drug Development sometime this year. This will allow him to move back closer to Theresa and the kids. He welcomes ideas and suggestions for activities, though Theresa has plenty of plans for him already.

Theresa M. Rohr-Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 has reprised her term as president of the American Medical Women’s Association and is looking forward to its first in-person meeting in three years in Philadelphia in March 2023. She was recently elected to the American Medical Association Minority Affairs Section Governing Council and has been keeping busy with the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia American College of Physicians. She joined the faculty of the Augusta University/University of Georgia (UGA) Medical Partnership in Athens, Ga., in March 2021 and is enjoying being in the South again, where UGA won the national championship in football for the second year in a row, the exact two years she’s been there. She loves teaching full time and reports that the students are “incredibly smart and keep her on her toes.” Having her grandchildren nearby makes it extra special, and Paul Kirchgraber, M.D. ’88 will hopefully be closer soon!

Susan Soletsky, M.D. ’89 enjoyed a fabulous reunion with classmates Mollie Fitzgerald, M.D. ’89, Carolyn Langelier, M.D. ’89, Ignacio Rua, M.D. ’89 and Ignacio’s wife, Nazlee, as they explored Miami on Ignacio’s boat and enjoyed Key Biscayne. “Lifelong friends are the best,” she tells us.

Daniel B. Jones, M.D. ’90 is the chair of surgery and assistant dean of simulation, innovation and scholarship at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Deborah M. Kado, M.D. ’91 and her husband, Paul S. Mischel, M.D. ’91 celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary last summer and are now settled into their new positions as professors of medicine at Stanford University, close to Deborah’s birthplace and biggest sports rival, Berkeley/CAL Bears. After almost a quarter of a century in Southern California, they’re happy to be back in Northern California. Paul is the vice chair of research in pathology and a member of Sarafan ChEM-H, in which scientists from various disciplines collaborate to understand life at the molecular level with the goal of improving human health. Deborah is the chief of geriatric research and director of advanced training in geriatrics at the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, a Veterans Affairs facility in Palo Alto.

Evan R. Goldfischer, M.D. ’92 was elected to a one-year term as president of Large Urology Group Practice Association’s board of directors in November 2022. “I am deeply honored to serve as the president of LUGPA, an organization that has made tremendous strides in strengthening urology and the independent practice of medicine as a whole,” Dr. Goldfischer says. “To advance this progress, we must continue to educate policymakers on the benefits of integrated urologic care. As president, I hope to both fortify and advance the state of independent urology, and by doing so, help ensure that every patient has access to the high-quality, affordable and efficient urologic care that they deserve.”

Joshua D. Nosanchuk, M.D. ’92 was one of four researchers recently given the title of Doctor Honoris Causa by the Senate of the University of Szeged in Hungary. The award — the university’s highest honor — was given to Nosanchuk for fostering the growth of science and mentoring students and faculty at Szeged and around the world. Dr. Nosanchuk is senior associate dean for medical education; professor of medicine and of microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine; and an infectious disease specialist at Montefiore Medical Center.

Kaytura Felix, M.D. ’93 is a distinguished scholar in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her work focuses on structural racism and health justice. She is the host of “Griotte’s Beat: Speaking Truth, Finding Justice,” a new podcast focused on how Black women from all walks of life think about and practice justice in their everyday lives.

Curtis L. Cole, M.D. ’94 has been appointed Cornell University’s inaugural vice president and chief global information officer, reporting to President Martha E. Pollack. He was previously assistant vice provost for information services and chief information officer for Weill Cornell Medicine. In his new role, Dr. Cole will be an institution-wide leader, advocate and steward of Cornell’s use of technology in its teaching, research, clinics, student life and administration.

Michael J. Rinaldi, M.D. ’94 has lived in Charlotte, N.C., for the last 20 years and worked as an interventional cardiologist for the Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute at Atrium Health, where he serves as director of the structural heart program and as professor of medicine at Wake Forest University. He is active in clinical trials and conference work on new technology. He keeps in close contact with Jeff Schwartz, M.D. ’94 and Gregg Palega, M.D. ’94.

Karen E. Lasser, M.D. ’95 became a senior editor at the Journal of the American Medical Association and is really enjoying it. She still practices primary care at Boston Medical Center.

Amy B. Wechsler, M.D. ’95 enrolled in the executive MBA program at Columbia University, with plans to graduate in 2024.

Daniel M. Vu, M.D. ’15 was recently promoted to assistant professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School.

Mark D. Dibner, Ph.D. ’77 is retired from his work to help build the biotechnology industry. He’s also focused on the charity he and his son, Ned, started. In 2003, he tells us, they rebuilt an old computer from parts and a motherboard bought on eBay (neither knew what that was) and when it worked, Ned, then 13 and in middle school, said, “That was fun, Dad. Let’s refurbish more for my classmates lacking home computers.” They founded the 501(c)3 charity, Kramden Institute (www.kramden.org, which is ‘NedMark’ spelled backwards) in their Durham, N.C., basement. Now, 20 years later, Mark volunteers as founder and board chair for Kramden, which has grown 1,000-fold from 42 students in Ned’s school who got computers in 2003, to 49,500 total PCs and laptops given to students and low-income adults in need. “It feels good!” Mark says.

Margery J. Ross, Ph.D. ’82 is the owner of a limited liability company and a consultant for development and quality assurance for a biologics early-phase startup compliant with Good Manufacturing Practices.

Alexandra S. Fairfield, Ph.D. ’85 spent a couple of decades working at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and teaching genetics and cell biology. Busily retired in the California central coast, she is “volunteering everywhere.” She completed her first (and probably last) triathlon last year but kept up the cycling, swimming and golf in between wine-tasting forays.

Maureen A. Gannon, Ph.D. ’96 received the Lois Jovanovic Transformative Woman in Diabetes Award from the American Diabetes Association. The award was presented at the 2022 American Diabetes Association’s scientific sessions in New Orleans and recognizes a female professional in the field of diabetes who has made outstanding contributions to diabetes research, clinical practice, diabetes education, public health and/or related disciplines.

Prachee R. Pathak, P.A. ’08 is proud to announce the launch of a yearlong cancer-focused physician assistant fellowship at the Mount Sinai Department of Urology, offering a hands-on approach to robotic surgery and structured exposure to this highly desired surgical subspecialty. He serves as clinical director of the program.

Naira R. Simmons, Ph.D. ’12 relocated back to New York after spending several years in the Bay Area. She is completing her third year as an intellectual property partner at a nationally ranked law firm. She lives with her husband and two kids (1st grader and pre-K).

Mona Khalaj, Ph.D. ’17 shared that after graduation and a postdoc at Stanford University, she co-founded a cancer drug-discovery startup where “we develop AI-generated drugs that synergize with cancer immunotherapies.”

Anthony C. Antonelli, Ph.D. ’21 tells us that after a productive year as a postdoctoral fellow in the Michael Glickman Laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he will “begin a new chapter as a postdoctoral fellow in the Ira Mellman Laboratory at Genentech in San Francisco in March 2023.”

Jonghan Lee, Ph.D. ’21 is currently working in business development and corporate strategy for a biotech in New York City. He has prior work experience in life sciences strategy consulting and would love to share his experience and help students navigate their career transitions.

Harshini Gokulakrishnan, M.S. ’22 is a graduate student in health informatics and currently works as a health-care data analyst at Neighborhood Health.

Anni Liu, M.S. ’22 has joined the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Population Health Sciences as a postdoctoral scholar after graduating from her master’s program at Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. Her major research focus now is trying to develop novel Bayesian models and streamline the analysis phases, so that “we have more opportunities to capture the differentially expressed genes in different phenotypic states comprehensively and efficiently.” Outside of her work, she serves as the vice president of the Weill Cornell Medicine Data Science Club. She also loves running in Central Park and says that “everything near Weill Cornell Medicine is so amazing!”

Nikolay Lukyanchikov, M.S. ’22 moved to Salt Lake City in the fall of 2022 to join the University of Utah biomedical informatics department as a Ph.D. student. His current research lies in the area of knowledge transformation. He is working on a machine learning-aided clinical guideline transformation system that is focused on transforming expert-created clinical guidelines into executable clinical decision support modules. In addition, he is working as part of a team developing SMART (Substitutable Medical Applications and Reusable Technologies) on FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) applications, such as Bilirubin app, for EPIC electronic health records and Cerner EHR platforms. His new hobbies since moving include hiking and other outdoor activities that Utah offers.