Class Notes

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.

Leonard Chanin, JD ’84, started a job in May 2025 at the FDIC as deputy to the chairman for consumer protection and innovation.

Paul Obrock, DMD ’83, received the Presidential Award of Excellence from the Pierre Fauchard Academy (PFA) international president at the organization’s annual meeting in 2025. The PFA is an international honor society of dentists whose mission is to recognize and develop outstanding leadership in the profession and in the community. Obrock is the PFA trustee for region 3, overseeing nine states of the southeast U.S. and the Caribbean.

Joy Nelkin Wieder, BFA ’82, penned two books: HANUKKAH 1-2-3! A First Counting Book (Abrams Appleseed, September 2025) and The Mouse Who Loved Latkes (KAR-BEN Publishing, October 2025), which she also illustrated.

Rolfe McCoy, AB ’82, DMD ’85, was appointed to the Missouri Dental Board. McCoy is a partner and dentist at McCoy Samples Mattingly Dental Clinic. In addition to his practice, he serves as the chairman and a trainer of the Missouri Dental Association’s Expanded Function Dental Assistant program and teaches for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Office of Dental Health pilot program in long-term care facilities. He is an active member of his community, serving on the Chillicothe, Illinois, arts council, chamber of commerce, and board of public works, and he is a member of the Chillicothe Rotary Club.