--- title: Class Notes December 2018 description: Pine Crest School alumni class notes, recognizing personal and professional achievement, and remembering those we have lost. image: https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/concert-921168-edited.jpg --- [ pine crest school ](https://www.pinecrest.edu/) [#PCFutureReady](https://www.pinecrest.edu/media?SearchExpression=#PCFutureReady) Fort Lauderdale Campus 1501 NE 62nd Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 [(954) 492-4100](tel:9544924100) Boca Raton Campus 2700 St. Andrews Boulevard, Boca Raton, Florida 33434 [(561) 852-2800](tel:5618522800) - [inquire](https://www.pinecrest.edu/inquire) - [apply](https://www.pinecrest.edu/apply) - [visit](https://www.pinecrest.edu/visit) # Class Notes December 2018 Posted by [Pine Crest School](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/author/pine-crest-school) on December 20, 2018 at 11:52 AM - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Once a Panther, always a Panther. We are always happy to hear from alumni and share your success, life events, the good and bad, and everything in between. **Professional Achievements: ** **![vincent-gennaro.jpg](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/Headshot.jpg?width=176&name=Headshot.jpg)** **Dr. Vincent DeGennaro ’98 **runs a breast cancer treatment program in Port-au-Prince with the organization [Innovating Health International](http://innovatinghealthinternational.org). Since 2013, the program has treated over 800 women with breast cancer and over 2000 with all types of cancer.        ![LtJR](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/LtJR.jpg?width=243&name=LtJR.jpg)[**Lieutenant Colonel Jesse Rosenbaum ’96**](http://airforcerotc.berkeley.edu/about-detachment-085/) is completing a two year appointment as Professor of Aerospace Studies at UC Berkeley, commanding the nation's oldest [AFROTC program ](http://airforcerotc.berkeley.edu/afrotc-program/)and teaching courses in leadership, innovation, and national security. ![j.elliott](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/social-suggested-images/j.elliott.jpg?width=300&name=j.elliott.jpg) [**Jordyn Elliott ’16**](https://asc.berkeley.edu/about/student-athlete-honors/asc-scholar-athlete-week?utm_content=78761245&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter) was named the University of California, Berkeley Athletic Study Center's Scholar-Athlete of The Week!  Jordyn is in her junior year majoring in Business Administration, with a minor in African American Studies.      ![chevron](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/chevron.jpg?width=300&name=chevron.jpg) [**Steven Chervony ’15**](https://golfweek.com/2018/10/22/steven-chervony-no-longer-stargazing-at-texas/) was featured by GolfWeek. Steven is a student-athlete and Economics major in his senior year at University of Texas in Austin.       ![idarose.jpg](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/idarose.jpg?width=250&name=idarose.jpg) [**Alexis Kesselman** **’15**](https://www.pr.com/press-release/766910) released a new song, Talk About Myself. Alexis is a singer/songwriter at the University of Miami. [Listen to Talk About Myself on Spotify. ](https://open.spotify.com/album/6t2tJGbabgRKBkpNyNOAMH?si=FmQ6Hft1QJ28EtTPkjXVvw&fbclid=IwAR0pi9kUdrI9-HkOGwXCYh6BuR5jsRi9EtYzYLjJ-B72fyGqzdNFrlqj5oQ)        ![IMG_5972](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/IMG_5972.png?width=276&name=IMG_5972.png)**Madison Berger ****’11** was selected to be part of a group of veterinary students to assist the veterinarians during  [The World Equestrian Games](https://tryon2018.com/). Madison will graduate veterinary school this May and will begin her career as an equine veterinarian at Ocala Equine Hospital. [![Frank Sobchek_PhD Candidate_Aug2018_sitecore](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/Frank%20Sobchek_PhD%20Candidate_Aug2018_sitecore.jpg?width=300&name=Frank%20Sobchek_PhD%20Candidate_Aug2018_sitecore.jpg)](http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/fl-sp-hyde-caldwell-opioids-20180607-story.html) **Frank Sobchak  ’88** is working towards his doctoral degree at Tufts University's Fletcher School of International Affairs. Read about Frank's journey back to school in the [Fletcher Feature](https://fletcher.tufts.edu/news-events/news/meet-phd-candidate-frank-sobchak).        ![brandonreese](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/brandonreese.jpeg?width=300&name=brandonreese.jpeg) **Brandon Reese ’08 **has been traveling South America on a bus! Check out the [On The Bus Podcast](https://www.onthebuspodcast.com/) detailing his travels and more.    ![jpatrickthompson](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/jpatrickthompson.png?width=300&name=jpatrickthompson.png)**Captain J Patrick Thompson** **’93** discusses the [deployment of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uss-john-c-stennis-back-in-the-persian-gulf-despite-trumps-declaration-of-victory-over-isis/) in the Persian Gulf with CBS News.          ![fitzsimmons](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/fitzsimmons.jpg?width=300&name=fitzsimmons.jpg)**Kyle Fitzsimmons** **’13, **back row third from the left,** **is one of the members of The Deerfield Beach Bulldogs Destroyers, a unified partner club basketball team that competes in the Special Olympics. [Read more about the team and Kyle's work with them.](https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/deerfield-beach/fl-cn-sp-deerfield-beach-bulldogs-basketball-20181219-story.html)     **David Abrams ’76 **![David-Abrams-76](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/image.png?width=300&name=image.png)joined [NYU's Tisch Institute for Global Sport](http://www.scps.nyu.edu/academics/departments/tisch-institute.html) in 2015 as a full time faculty member teaching finance and stadium development. In 2016, he also joined Inner Circle Sports in New York City to advise in the development of real estate associated with sports teams.     **  ** **Spotted:** ![concert-921168-edited](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/concert-921168-edited.jpg?width=343&name=concert-921168-edited.jpg) **Lauren Soutar ’07, Gabe Levy ’10, Joel Levy ’08, Troy Wiggins ’08, Natan levy ’07, Alex Castaldi ’07, and Michael Rau ’07** at Troy Wiggins concert in Orlando for his band Roots of a Rebellion.           ![Santacon](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/Santacon.jpg?width=300&name=Santacon.jpg)  Bottom row Left to right **Jack Docal ’11, Chad Ginsburg ’11, Will Coughlan ’11, Christina Lewis ’11** **Second Row Left to Right** **Kristen Clark ’11, Lindsey Brown ’11, Jeffrey Silverman ’11, Hayley Hashemi ’11, ****Keith Parksinson ’11** Third Row Left to Right** ****Jordan Gross ’11, Obi Aribeana ’11, Andrew Quinlan’11 , ****Ali Ismailaglu ’11** Top Row left to right** ****Will Graf '12, Evan Brovender ’11, ****Hayden Grove** **’11** ![IMG_1945](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/IMG_1945.jpg?width=341&name=IMG_1945.jpg) **Robert Harvey ’06, Joe Castaldi ’06, David Clark**, Head of School, Boca Raton Campus, **Michael Pierson ’11, Zach Wolfson ’09, and Glen Pierson**, Assistant Head of Upper School and Dean of Students celebrating with Nicole Russell ’09 at her wedding.       ![PC Crew](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/PC%20Crew.jpg?width=457&name=PC%20Crew.jpg) From left to right, **Dr. Craig Spodak ’90**, **David Schneider ’98**, **Dr. Vincent DeGennaro ’98**, Miss Florida 2018 Genesis Davila, **Jeff Fauer ’98**, **Matt Rogge ’98**, **Steven Seigel ’02**,** Dr. Ron Ramirez ’00 **at an [Innovating Health International](http://innovatinghealthinternational.org) fundraiser.   ![IMG_7407](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/IMG_7407.jpg?width=300&name=IMG_7407.jpg)  **Hailey McEwan ****’17 **returned to campus to visit Kathleen Sullivan, Senior Associate Director of College & Academic Advising.           ** Marriages:** ![IMG-5113](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/IMG-5113.jpg?width=960&name=IMG-5113.jpg) **Nicole (Russell) Castaldi ****’09 and Angelo Castaldi ’09** were married on November 3, 2018. By their sides as their bridesmaids and groomsmen were **Gurtegh Singh ’09, Brianna O’Connor ’09, Alex Castaldi ’07, Lyndsay Golden ’09, Joe Castaldi ’06, Caitlin Hampton ’09, Kyle Francis ’09, Matty O’Connor ’10.**   **Baby News:** ![29-jfer0818gerli-29](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/29-jfer0818gerli-29.jpg?width=339&name=29-jfer0818gerli-29.jpg)**Rachel (Quigley) Gerli ’05** and her husband Bennett Gerli (son of Tiggie O'Boyle **’**69) welcomed their first child, Tate Anderson Gerli on August 16, 2018. They currently live in Westchester, New York and look forward to connecting Tate with other baby Panthers at the next reunion!      **In Memoriam:** ![jimlansdale](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hs-fs/hubfs/jimlansdale.jpg?width=226&name=jimlansdale.jpg)Beloved faculty member of thirty years, [James Lansdale](https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/sunsentinel/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=190592981&fbclid=IwAR0qVgdCdJV04EKsialYFWtj_VuKDADS1_-o0x5KlVC8SVaj4I56YsHNIGA)  passed away peacefully on October 24, 2018, after a courageous 22-year battle with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.            Topics: [Alumni Newsletter](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni-newsletter), [2018](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2018), [Class Notes](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/class-notes) ### Subscribe Here! ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Tag - [Alumni Newsletter (83)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni-newsletter) - [Alumni (69)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/alumni) - [2021 (18)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2021) - [Upper School (18)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/upper-school) - [2018 (16)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2018) - [2022 (12)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2022) - [2024 (12)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2024) - [Class Notes (11)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/class-notes) - [Pine Crest School (10)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/pine-crest-school) - [2019 (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2019) - [Entrepreneurship (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/entrepreneurship) - [News (9)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/news) - [Athletics (8)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/athletics) - [Fine Arts (8)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/fine-arts) - [Student Life (7)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/student-life) - [2020 (5)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2020) - [2023 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2023) - [2025 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2025) - [2026 (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/2026) - [Student Leadership (4)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/student-leadership) - [Digital Media Production (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/digital-media-production) - [Giving (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/giving) - [Science (3)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/science) - [Dance (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/dance) - [Faculty (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/faculty) - [Innovation (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/innovation) - [Music (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/music) - [Pine Crest Fund (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/pine-crest-fund) - [STEM (2)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/stem) - [COVID-19 (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/covid-19) - [Computer Science (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/computer-science) - [DEI (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/dei) - [Social and Emotional Learning (1)](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/tag/social-and-emotional-learning) [See all](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-june-2018-0#) ## Start Your Future Today Imagine the possibilities @PineCrestSch - - - - - - - [my pine crest](https://pinecrest.myschoolapp.com/app#login) Lower School Grades PK - 5 Middle School Grades 6 - 8 Upper School Grades 9 - 12 Fort Lauderdale Campus 1501 NE 62nd Street Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33334 [(954) 492-4100](tel:9544924100) Boca Raton Campus 2700 St. Andrews Boulevard Boca Raton, Florida 33434 [(561) 852-2800](tel:5618522800) Imagine the possibilities @PineCrestSch - - - - - - - [Back to top ](https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-june-2018-0#top) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Pine Crest School", "url" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/author/pine-crest-school" }, "dateModified" : "2019-02-25T18:52:13.465Z", "datePublished" : "2018-12-20T16:52:43.000Z", "headline" : "Class Notes December 2018", "image" : [ "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/Alumni/Newsletter/December%202018/concert-921168-edited.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/alumni/class-notes-june-2018-0", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.pinecrest.edu/hubfs/School%20Seal-Green-Gradient.jpg" }, "name" : "Pine Crest School" } } ```