Class Notes

Daniel A. Schwartz, LW95, has been elected as a fellow of the Class of 2023 College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. Fellows are recognized as distinguished members of the labor and employment community and have practiced labor and employment law for at least 20 years. Schwartz is an attorney with Shipman & Goodwin LLP. He is also the author of the Connecticut Employment Law Blog, which was named to the ABA’s Blawg 100 Hall of Fame.

Maggie Knaus, GF95, published her first children’s book, Eleanor’s Moon (Owlkids Books, August 2023), which she wrote and illustrated. The story is about Knaus’ eldest daughter, Eleanor, and Knaus’ father (Eleanor’s grandfather) and their connection to the moon, even when they are apart. Knaus writes that while the book is illustrated with her paintings today, her 30-year career as a professional photographer was molded by her experience at WashU.

Daniel Backman, EN95, vice president of operations at Clark, Richardson & Biskup (CRB), a full-service facility design, engineering, construction and consulting firm for the life sciences and food and beverage industries, was recently elected to the CRB board of directors. Backman and his wife of 26 years, Sheena, are the parents of a daughter and two sons, and reside in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Andy Mozina, GR94, GR98, authored his fourth book of fiction, Tandem (Tortoise Books, October 2023). In the book, the perpetrator of a fatal drunk-driving hit-and-run rationalizes a romantic relationship with the mother of his victim as a type of atonement.

Miriam Laugesen, GR93, associate professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, was awarded a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship (2023–24) for research in Tokyo. She was also named a National Academy of Medicine and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Fellow 2023, which started in September. The fellowship includes an intensive three-month orientation followed by a nine-month assignment in a congressional office or the executive branch working on health-related legislation and policy development.

Paul Ruggieri, HS92, recently published his sixth book, Confessions of a Surgeon: A Deeper Cut. It is a memoir about his experiences as a surgeon.

Jordan Forman, BU92, was named partner at Fox Rothschild’s Atlanta office. Forman represents and defends businesses in contract claims and the full range of commercial disputes.

Paige Johnson, GR90, was named chief marketing officer of CURE Childhood Cancer, an Atlanta-based nonprofit that advances pediatric cancer research and provides patient and family support. Previously, Johnson served as senior vice president, strategy/digital at Blue Sky Agency. She has more than 20 years of experience as a marketing and business strategy leader.

Alexander S. Douglas II, LA86, was selected by The Florida Bar to serve on the Florida Probate Rules Committee. The function of the committee is to carry out the mandate of Rule 2.140 concerning the proposal of new rules of procedure and changes to existing rules. Douglas is a partner with ShuffieldLowman and practices in the area of fiduciary litigation.

Mitchell Strominger, LA82, MD86, relocated to Reno, Nev., in 2018, where he is a professor of surgery, ophthalmology and pediatrics at University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. He also is serving as president of the Nevada chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Strominger has a noncommercial winery, 107 Vines, where he grows grapes and makes wine for nonprofit fundraising (see Facebook).