Class Notes

Dave Cooperstein, AB ’95, was named director of process and design innovation at PGAV Destinations, a leader in planning and designing unique destinations. He is responsible for strategic initiatives, fostering innovation and enhancing organizational capabilities. The role allows him to combine his leadership in design, technology and mentorship to shape PGAV.

Lauren H. Kerstein, AB ’93, MSW ’95, wrote two books. Hope Rode: The Promise of the Packhorse Librarians (Union Square Kids, August 2025) is a lyrical nonfiction picture book about the brave librarians from Kentucky who brought books to areas like rural Appalachia following the Great Depression. Kerstein’s other book, Emotion Regulation: Helping Children and Adolescents Take Charge of Their Feelings (Future Horizons, August 2025), is designed to be used by adults who are helping children or teens identify strategies to help them regulate their emotions. 

Jessica Kany, AB ’93, penned A Runner’s Guide to Rakiura (Quentin Wilson Publishing, October 2022). The literary treasure hunt takes place on Rakiura/Stewart Island, New Zealand’s southernmost island, which has been Kany’s home for the past 20 years.

Adam Rovner, AB ’92, wrote The Jew Who Would Be King: A True Story of Shipwreck, Survival, and Scandal in Victorian Africa (University of California Press, April 2025). The book tells the story of Nathaniel Isaacs, a 19th-century British Jew who helped establish the Zulu kingdom only to become a ruthless warlord and slaveholder.

Steven J. Fleischman, AB ’92, was named the sixth president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in May 2025. Fleischman is in private practice with Sound Obstetrics and Gynecology, where he is the managing partner. He also serves as the associate chief of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale New Haven Hospital and is an associate clinical professor in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the Yale University School of Medicine.

Reuben Shelton, MBA ’91, was appointed to the Harris-Stowe State University Board of Regents. Shelton served as the lead litigation counsel for the Monsanto Company before his retirement in 2016. He previously served as special chief counsel for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. He is an active member of the United Way of Greater St. Louis and previously served as a member of the Children’s Hospital Development Board and the Lincoln University Board of Curators, and as president of the Missouri Bar Association. 

Lowell B. Denny III, AB ’89, moved from Hawaii to Austin, Texas, to further pursue his passion for American Sign Language. He started learning three years ago at Gallaudet University and is becoming an ASL interpreter and mastering his fluency.

Nancy Layish, AB ’88, MSW ’90, co-founded the nonprofit Central Florida Postpartum Alliance in Orlando, Florida. It is dedicated to serving working professionals with families in overcoming mental health challenges during the prenatal and postpartum time frames, providing resources, advocacy and educational opportunities. Layish also wrote From Ordinary to Extraordinary: Dazzling Upcycled Projects to Enhance Your Home and Life (self-published, February 2023). The book combines the joy of crafting with mindful repurposing of everyday items. 

Gina Maria Musolino, BSPT ’87, co-edited and authored the textbook Davis’s Patient–Practitioner Interaction: An Experiential Manual for Developing the Art of Health Care (Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, March 2025), now in its seventh edition. The book features interactive and online learning activities based on real-life clinical situations, as well as vignettes designed to make learning active and engaging, and is intended for any developing professional in the health professions.

Joel Martin Priest, AB ’84, retired in 2024 from a 40-year career as an outdoor educator and high school math/science teacher. He celebrated with a three-week climbing expedition on Denali, the highest peak in North America. While weather and logistics prevented him from reaching the summit, in June 2025 he reached an elevation of 16,200 feet, higher than he’d ever climbed before. This marked the 43rd High Point he had attained in his long-standing goal of climbing the High Points of all 50 states.