Alumni Profiles

Through her blog, Scary Mommy, and two parenting books, best-selling author Jill Smokler (right), BFA ’99, takes a look at parenting in all its irritating, sleepless, joyful and hilarious glory.

Documentary filmmaker and The Daily Show senior producer Sara Taksler’s, AB ’01, latest film, Tickling Giants, is about how political satire shook the halls of power in Egypt after the Arab Spring.

Andrew McCabe, JD ’93, was always interested in criminal law but an internship he had while a law student at WashU convinced him to become an FBI agent. After a long career that’s including busting up crime rings and fighting terrorists, he’s been named deputy director of one of the nation’s top security organizations.

When Louisa Rechter, AB ’09, and Alessandra Perez-Rubio, BFA ’09, couldn’t find designer, black-tie attire at a price point they could afford, they decided to create their own line. Mestiza New York, a fashion line blends Filipino and American style, is the happy result.

Poet Phillip B. Williams, a 2014 graduate of The Writing Program in Arts & Sciences, is among 10 recipients of the 2017 Whiting Award.

Young entrepreneur Rebecca van Bergen improves lives around the globe by helping artisans find well-paying, long-term work through her company Nest.

Marylen Mann is the founder of OASIS a nationwide program to help seniors remain active and engaged in their communities even after retirement.

Dante Lauretta, PhD ’97, mission chief, and Kate Crombie, PhD ’97, project data archivist, are a husband-and-wife team working on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission.

In 2004, Arden Farhi, AB ’07, was a student volunteer for the Bush-Kerry debate. He was assigned to work with CBS and knew he’d found his calling. Now he travels the country and the world producing segments for CBS News’ chief White House correspondent.

Chris Ferguson left the business world to venture into food. Now he’s the founder and owner of Bee’s Knees, providing gourmet bar snacks that pair well with craft beers.