Seeking
Todd David Goldfinger ’01 (Music: Studio Composition) is a world-toured bass player, music and television actor, director, producer, and improvisor, mental health TV host, plant medicine advocate, and a music and performance coach. He is seeking a film student to film a docuseries in 2024. (More)
Making Moves
Christopher Payne '91 (Visual Arts: Sculpture) was recently named partner at SGW Architecture & Design, an acclaimed architecture, planning, and interior design firm headquartered in Chicago. With a satellite office in New York City, the firm has a significant residential and commercial portfolio in thirty-eight states. Chris leads work on complex mixed-use developments, large-scale community design projects, and the firm's cannabis sector.
Antonio R. Santiago ’00 (Liberal Studies) recently earned a doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership and Organizational Studies from Bay Path University. His dissertation explored strategies to expand a third-party peer mentoring program to support first generation Hispanic student retention and persistence toward completion at a two-year institution.
Marla (Feldbau) Feldinger ’03 (Visual Arts) accepted a new job with Mass General Brigham as a Neurology Scheduling Specialist in the Ambulatory Contact Center.
Robin Levine ’10 (Media, Society and the Arts) was appointed Assistant Commissioner for Public Affairs at the New York City Department of Sanitation. Previously, Robin worked in corporate communications at Meta and served in a variety of leadership roles across New York City government.
Michael Kirsty ’19 (Music Performance: Cello) was named Executive Director at Friends of Chamber Music of Troy, New York in March 2024. Now in its 75th season, Troy’s FOCM is focused on bringing world-class chamber music to the Capital Region.
Kunga Choephel ’23 (Film) was selected from a pool of more than 230 applicants for the first Storyline Apprenticeship. The pilot program was created to fill a critical career development gap for emerging artists traditionally underrepresented in the fields of nonfiction storytelling. (More)
Receiving Honors + Awards
Marissa Chibás ’82 (Acting) has received a Sundance Institute/One House Filmmakers Fund grant for her debut feature 72. Her short proof of concept film premiered at the Santa Barbara Film Festival earlier this month; the short was also selected for the Hispanic International Film Festival where it won Excellence in Drama and Outstanding Excellence in a lead actress awards.
Cynthia Leigh Heim ’87 (Dance) has garnered awards in the festival circuit for her work on the short horror film, Cici's Sonata (2023). In addition to “Best Vocals in a Homegrown Score” (Garden State Film Festival), “Best Soundtrack” (Oniros Film Awards), she shares the “Best Voiceover” award (New York International Film Awards), with her daughter, Sofia Leigh SanGiovanni.
Zoeann Murphy ’03 (Photography) of The Washington Post was selected as Multimedia Visual Journalist of the Year by The White House News Photographers Association. She will be honored at the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ black tie gala on June 1, 2024, in Washington, DC. (More)
Kyle McKenzie '13 (Journalism), a coordinating producer for ABC News Live, has been nominated for his fourth Emmy Award. This latest recognition is for Kyle's work as a Coordinating Producer on the platform's coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 Mission | Liftoff to Space! (More)
Jenny (Brent) Bee ’14 (Graphic Design) took home an Emmy with Spectrum News NY1 for their motion and graphic design work on Losing hope on the streets: A mental health crisis grips the city, a piece on the struggles faced by NYC's unhoused population.
Symara (Johnson) Sarai ’19 (Dance) was named Outstanding Breakout Choreographer for 2023 by the New York Dance and Performance Awards, known as the Bessies. The category awards an artist who has made an exceptional leap in their career in the past year. Johnson is a company member at Urban Bush Women. (More)
Returning to Campus
Brandon Chase Burnett ’13 (Liberal Studies) has returned stateside after ten years playing basketball professionally in Spain, Chile, and Bolivia. A former Purchase Panther during the championship years 2010 to 2013, Brandon is volunteering with the men’s basketball program in his spare time away from his own training at LIFT at Purchase College.
Vuk Lungulov-Klotz ’16 (Film) will return to campus on Wednesday, February 21, as the featured guest during a screening of the feature film Mutt (2023) and a Q&A hosted by the School of Film and Media Studies. The film became a darling of the international film festival circuit and was distributed nationally this past fall. (More)
Sebastian Pray '16 (Theatre & Performance) returned to Purchase to direct the Spring BA Theatre & Performance Main Stage presentation of Angels in America Part 1: Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner.
Jordan Tetewsky ’16 (Film) returned to campus in November for a screening of his feature film Hannah Ha Ha and a Q&A with students. Hannah Ha Ha won the Narrative Feature Grand Jury prize at 2022’s Slamdance Festival and the Ultra Indie Award Winner prize at last fall’s Woodstock Film Festival. The film stars Purchase College alumna HannahLee Thompson ’17 (Studio Composition). Guitarist Drummond Dominguez-Kincannon ’17 (Jazz Studies) and Ethan Gustavson ’17 (Studio Composition) worked on the film’s sound and Tamur Qutub '15 (Film) helped with cinematography. (More)
Publishing
Paul Feldstein ’77 (Literature), through his literary agency, The Feldstein Agency, has signed Frank Kirby ’76(Literature) as a client and will represent Frank’s debut novel of realistic literary fiction, Michaela.
Geoff Loftus '78 (Literature), author of the Jack Tyrrell novels, recently published Purgatory, the ninth thriller in the series; his books are available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. A regular contributor to Forbes.com from 2010 to 2018, Geoff’s career includes freelance and on-staff assignments as a business journalist and corporate communications. (More)
George (Rollie) Erickson '81 (Visual Arts) is the author of a new book titled Gentleman of the Road: A Hitchhiking Memoir of the 1970s. In his crisscrossing journey across the U.S., Rollie uses the I Ching for guidance to find a place to stop; this led to the discovery of his real father. The story ends with his graduation from Purchase College and subsequent move to NYC. (More)
Pedro de Alcantara ’81 (Music) published his fifth book of musical pedagogy with Oxford University Press. Creative Health for Pianists: Concepts, Exercises & Compositions is an innovative method that invites pianists of all abilities to think and practice like a composer at heart. The book is supported by a dedicated website with forty-eight video clips. (More)
Linda McCauley Freeman ’82 (Literature) is an award-winning poet who has been widely published in international journals, including in a Chinese translation. She is the author of two full-length poetry collections: The Marriage Manual(Backroom Window Press, April 2024) and The Family Plot (Backroom Window Press, 2022). She has an MFA from Bennington College and is the former poet-in-residence of the Putnam Arts Council.
Barbara Drake-Vera ’84 (Literature) has published her debut book, Melted Away: A Memoir of Climate Change and Caregiving in Peru (LSU Press). Set against the backdrop of rapid glacial recession, it explores how her deepening connections with the people of the high Andes and Peru's desert coast transformed her difficult relationship with her estranged father, whom she brought to Lima for eldercare when he was diagnosed with dementia.
Abigail (McEnroe) Doan ’89 (Visual Arts) was invited to write the introduction for Anamnesis, a project created by Nazanin Sadr Azodi and published by Konnotation Press. Anamnesis documents a collaboration with four Iranian tribal women, using the power of recollection and weaving to tell personal stories and restoring weavers as creators as opposed to manual laborers. (More)
Tiziano T. Dossena ’95 (Environmental Science) is the author of fourteen books. His latest work, The Dance of Color, was published in October in two languages (Italian and English). A monograph on his father, artist Emilio Giuseppe Dossena, the work took 11 years to complete and has more than five hundred color images. (More)
Antonio Pagliarulo ’02 (Sociology) is an author who writes regularly about spirituality, Witchcraft and Paganism, and the intersection of folk magic with popular culture and religion. His new book, THE EVIL EYE: The History, Mystery and Magic of the Quiet Curse (Weiser Books, May 2023) is available on Amazon. (More)
Elizabeth Hyman '11 (History and Journalism) has a new book deal with HarperCollins to produce a work of narrative history titled The Girl Bandits of the Warsaw Ghetto: A Female Military History of the Warsaw Ghetto and its Uprising. Elizabeth is a Holocaust historian and author who serves as the Digital Content Manager for the The American Jewish Historical Society at the Center for Jewish History in New York City. (More)
Rebecca P. Bruckenstein ’12 (Drama Studies/Journalism) has published her first book, Finding Poetry, Finding Me. In her writing, she explores the world around her and "the relationships we have with ourselves and each other." The poems in the collection tell the story of life, friendship, pain, and self-discovery.
Paige Etheridge ’12 (Creative Writing and History) is a storyteller, martial artist, and occasional tarot card reader. Herfourth novel, The Light of India (Solstice Publishing), is a historical fantasy retelling of the life of Nur Jahan, the onlyMughal Empress.
Showing
Mark Patnode ’78 (Visual Arts) and his wife Juner, exhibited artwork in the 78th Annual Connecticut Artists Juried Exhibition at the Slater Memorial Museum in Norwich, CT. (More)
John G. Young '85 (Film), Chair of the BFA Film Conservatory in the Purchase College School of Film and Media Studies, hosted a screening of short films by members of the Purchase College Class of 2023 at the Rodeo Screening Room in Beverly Hills on October 28.
Jennifer Madelin Burns ’87 (Visual Arts) is an award-winning, commissioned artist who will be exhibiting her oil paintings in Pivotal Moments in Caring for the Earth, an exhibition at The Donald Gallery at South Presbyterian Church in Dobbs Ferry, NY. Her work will be shown alongside photographic abstractions by her son, Patrick Burns IV, a WCSU visual arts (photography) graduate. The show opens September 8, 2024, and runs through October. Jen’s past exhibits include the Ossining Women's Art Center and Beaux Arts Greenburgh.
Marcia Neblett ’95 (Visual Arts) is a tenured Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Norfolk State University. In June 2023, she completed her third Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award at the Malaysian Institute of Art in Kuala Lumpur. In Fall 2023, a solo exhibition of her artwork, Garden Drawings, was on view at the A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn. (More)
Angelina Ruiz '15 (Photography) is one of four artists featured in an exhibition at The Governor’s Academy, an independent school near Boston, MA, from now until mid-January. Ruiz’s work focuses on nostalgia and memory, the story of the Puerto Rican diaspora, and a constant longing for home. (More)
Amelia Wyeth Ponirakis ’23 (Film) has screened Caught the Bug (2022), an experimental film made in her junior year, at London’s IKLECTIK twice, in the Exploding Cinema and Darkroom Film Festival, the Buffalo International Film Festival (BIFF) as part of the Student Shorts program, and the Hudson Valley Film Fest, hosted at the Warwick NY Drive-In. Her collaborators included Ruby Soudant ’25 (Film), who composed the ambient score; Emma Jakubik ’23 (New Media), who was the production designer and co-animator; and Lucas Neufeld ’22 (Film),who was the producer.
Performing
Doug Varone '78 (Dance) is an award-winning choreographer, director, and member of the Purchase College faculty. Last weekend, Doug took his DOVA Dance company to Stowe, VT to perform their award-winning, Bernstein/West Side Story inspired piece, Somewhere, at the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center. Spruce Peak Arts is now under the direction of Varone's friend and former colleague, Seth Soloway, past director of The PAC at Purchase College.
Jessie Biele Luxenberg '08 (Journalism) was recently elected President of the Washington Metropolitan Gamer Symphony Orchestra (WMGSO) Board of Directors. WMGSO is the Washington D.C area's premiere community ensemble exclusively devoted to performing video game music. Jessie is a flutist who has participated in WMGSO since its first season in fall 2013. This past spring, she performed with the ensemble at the Kennedy Center under the baton of Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Tin.
Micah Stock ’11 (Acting) made his Steppenwolf Theatre debut during the world premiere of Little Bear Ridge Road by playwright Samuel D. Hunter. Stock is a Tony-nominated actor whose credits include roles on screen and on stage. (More)
Caleb Eberhardt ’12 (Acting) stepped onto a Broadway stage for the second time as Hovstad in the revival of Enemy of the People alongside award-winning actors Jeremy Strong (Succession) and Michael Imperioli (White Lotus). The play wraps a four-month run at the legendary Circle in the Square Theatre at the end of June. (More)
Paige Gilbert ’14 (Acting) is starring opposite Sandra Oh in Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin through June 30 at Atlantic Theater Company. Earlier this year, Gilbert appeared with Oscar the Grouch in a commercial for United Airlines. (More
Hunter Hollingsworth ’22 (Theatre and Performance) made his Broadway debut as a swing in the groundbreaking new musical How to Dance in Ohio. (More)
Having an Impact
L. Synn Stern '82 (Literature) is proud to be working for OnPoint NYC, the harm reduction and syringe service project running the USA's first overdose prevention centers and sanctioned safe consumption sites. She has worked for the agency since becoming an RN in 2011.
James Cruickshank ’86 (Political Science) and John Cruickshank ’86 (Political Science), aka “The Purchase Twins,” retired after 34 years of service in the federal government: James from the Department of HUD and John from the NSF. Both openly gay Federal leaders, they endowed the Cruickshank LGBTQ Guam and Micronesia Scholarships at Guam Community College as a tribute to their longstanding work in the territories and countries of Micronesia and the South Pacific and their commitment to LGBTQ equity and equality.
Brian Kavanaugh ’05 (Visual Arts) has launched Language For Listening to empower the caregivers of adults with developmental disabilities. The program offers dynamic training and ongoing support, emphasizing expressive, communicative, and creative growth for each person being supported.
Douglas “DJ” Shindler ’22 (Visual Arts) has partnered with fellow artist Michael Davis to create The Black Library, a space for arts, literature, and community connection in their hometown of Monticello, NY. Funded by a two-year, $400K+ grant from Creatives Rebuild New York, the Library is transitioning into its next phase: becoming a nonprofit this year. (More)
Helping Heal
Nick Cascone '86 (Acting) is an orthopedic physician assistant who made headlines last month when he became a winner in Jeopardy!'s Champions Wildcard competition. A performer at heart, he has credits on television and movie projects including Star Trek: The Next Generation, Titanic, and more.
Jacques Jospitre, MD '92 (Chemistry) is a board-certified psychiatrist and co-founder of SohoMD, an online teletherapy and telepsychiatry platform for integrative, holistic, and personalized mental health care. The company recently announced a new remote patient monitoring project to provide important biological measurements related to mental health care.
Jennifer Chess ’12 (Psychology) opened Three Circles Therapy Services PLLC, a small practice supporting folx who are LGBTQ, ethically non-monogamous, kinky, sex workers, and neurodivergent. She expects to earn her Doctor of Social Work in May 2027.
Siena Vaccara ’20 Ed.M, M.A, LMHC (Psychology) recently received a New York State Mental Health Counseling / Psychotherapy License (LMHC) in conjunction with becoming a DONA International Childbirth Doula. A full-time therapist in private practice, Siena specializes in birthing person and LGBTQIA+ well-being. (More)
Owning + Operating
Sharon Hagerty ’91 (Art History) owns and operates Eclipse Hat Shop on Seattle's historic Pike Place Market. Opened in April 2021, the haberdashery offers fine hats from around the world along with hat tips and hat care offered by Sharon. At Purchase, she also studied costume design and millinery.
Nicole Spiegel-Gotsch ’99 (Literature) became the first Latina Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) for The Business Development Lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), an interdisciplinary and experiential learning lab fostering innovation and entrepreneurial growth. She will be advising, encouraging, and guiding their mission-driven entrepreneurs through concept to commercialization.
Tobias Nikl ’23 (Film), Kunga Choephel '23 (Film), Desta Mutisya '23 (Film), and Blake Albano ’23 (New Media) started a full-service film and video production company based in Queens, NY. The ARE WE THERE YET? FILMS team works in all stages of production across documentary, narrative, commercial, social media, and music video content.
Producing, Presenting + Directing
Jordan Humphrey ’02 (Design/Technology) is an award-winning production leader and executive producer who recently joined strategic communications agency The T!LT Group as SVP, Head of Production. Previously, he spent two decades with Jack Morton Worldwide.
Dan Cohn ’14 (Music: Studio Production) completed his second season coordinating Enhanced Audio, which allows viewers to hear the quarterback on NFL TV broadcasts, for NFL Films. This culminated in working his first Super Bowl in Las Vegas. (More)
Educating
Kara Redding-Knight ’08 (History) concluded a project directorship on a seven-year federal grant project with the Library of Congress' Teaching with Primary Sources consortium through her work at the Minnesota Historical Society. (More)
Practicing Law
Alexander Atkins, Esq. ’10 (Film) recently joined States United Democracy Center as Counsel, where he is focused on holding democracy violators accountable. Previously, he had a diverse litigation practice in state and federal courts.
Reporting
Anna Helhoski '10 (Journalism) is one of twenty-one business journalists selected by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers as a 2023 Goldschmidt FRED Fellow. A senior writer with NerdWallet, she attended an advanced data workshop at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis in September to learn about economic data. (More)
Crossing Disciplines
Mary Page Nance ’11 (Dance) is a NYC-based Broadway performer, business owner, event producer, director and choreographer. She recently wrapped up her run in "A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical" and will soon transition to rehearsals for a new Broadway show. She owns a paper goods business and an event company that features custom performances by Broadway talent.
Harry Edgar Palacio ’11 (Liberal Studies) is a singer-songwriter, writer, and artist who recently received his master’s in education from Manhattanville College. His poetry and art have been published in magazines and journals, his visual art has been exhibited at Peekskill Open Studios, and his music can be heard on Soundcloud.
Casting
Vincent Carson '17 (Liberal Studies) works in film and TV as a casting professional. He has worked on series such as Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin for HBO Max, the upcoming Seth Macfarlane Ted series for Peacock, and as a casting director for indie films, several that have not yet premiered. (More)
Researching
Melissa Rothstein ’21 (Psychology) is a third-year Behavioral Science PhD student at the University of Rhode Island where she researches the influences of social and contextual factors on substance use in young adults. Her research findings have been disseminated through published works and presented in symposia and posters. She is the Applied Methods in Psychological Research course instructor at URI.
Composing + Recording
Ahmed Gallab MM ’22, discussing his band Sinkane’s 8th album We Belong, says Purchase helped him become a more confident songwriter. Read more about the multi-instrumentalist and what he told Billboard about his Purchase experience.
Organic Farming
Ceara Rose Creegan ’23 (Sociology) is pursuing her passion for organic farming. She is currently traveling and farming across the Northeast, working as a farm educator, livestock caregiver, horse hand, and now livestock assistant. She hopes to continue educating and providing for her local communities.
