At the start of 9th grade my family returned from a favorite post in Athens, Greece. Navigating the nuances of American suburban high school culture takes years of training, and I was woefully ill-prepared; with a divorce battle raging at home, I am sure I appeared every bit as awkward and perplexed as I felt. Amidst the chaos, the Age of Aquarius dawned, and we (finally) graduated. And then? In Physics class I had learned to build a “useless machine”. In Drama class I had memorized the best two lines in Chekov’s The Seagull (“Why do you always wear black?” “I am in mourning for my life….”). But somehow I had no marketable skills, no completed college applications, and No Plans for the future.

For one year I tried to find a practical career through classes in social sciences at NoVaCoCo, but I could not even feign interest. I was intrigued by the compelling harmonies of Crosby, Stills & Nash, Simon & Garfunkel and others. And I dearly loved the resonant sonorities of my cracked, cigarette stained Martin D-35 guitar bought at the Lee Heights music store with money earned at my first ever job in People’s Drug Store; I spent hours teaching myself popular songs and harmonies, music theory, and picking styles. So with modest skill but great enthusiasm, I began a degree in music.

At the University of Tennessee (Knoxville) I spent four years in a tiny piano practice room, doggedly working to make up for my inadequate preparation, always grateful to the supportive faculty for giving me the chance. It was a great experience. I learned that Southern hospitality can be real, and that “y’all” is the most useful word ever. I also learned that singing is SO MUCH easier than playing piano; sounding like a Boy Soprano is Good if you like to sing early music; JS Bach’s vocal music is profound, beautiful and thrilling to sing; and, a music library is filled with treasures.

And so, music became a major theme in my adult life. I added a Master of Library Science and became a music librarian, working first at the University of Maryland (UM) and then at the Library of Congress (LC). At UM I met my dear husband, Morgan, also a musician and librarian; we married in 1986 and have enjoyed decades of shared personal and professional lives. Our beautiful daughter was born in 1991; eventually I left LC to be home with her. Over the years I worked in a variety of at-home, part-time jobs while also volunteering in a gazillion music/dance/sport activities that added joy and interest to our family life. For a performance outlet I have sung in large and small area ensembles. Of special joy were my years singing in the Washington Bach Consort, with whom I made two European concert tours and was privileged to perform in the tricentennial celebration of Bach’s birth in Leipzig (DDR). Over the past decade I have traveled often to Zambia to teach in a performing arts camp for orphans and assist in developing a school library. When singing/choir rehearsals were deemed Covid super spreaders, I switched to cello; I am now in my second year of virtual cello lessons, working towards playing Baroque chamber music with friends. I am grateful for a career and hobbies that have always been interesting and fun, and I am beyond delighted with my new musical pursuits and future possibilities. 

Otherwise, for (even more) fun I enjoy traveling internationally with my family, gardening/hardscaping our yard (I love to lay brick paths), watching films (our daughter is an attorney in LA’s film industry so we have an on-going family film festival), and walking. One fun fact is that since 1996 I have lived in the same Arlington house (now renovated) where I lived in high school! I do my best to keep up with friends from each chapter of my life; most especially, I am grateful to have maintained some treasured Arlington friends I have known since childhood. 

Thank You to all who have submitted alumni profiles—I have enjoyed each one. I look forward to seeing all who can attend at the reunion in a few weeks.

Nearly thirty years ago I came to New York City to start a career as a law professor at Fordham Law School, where I am now also the Founding Director of the law school's Neuroscience and Law Center.  My specialty subjects are criminal law and criminal procedure, and I write, testify, and conduct research on a range of topics, including the death penalty and neuroscientific developments in the law. 

I love my job (I'll never retire!) and where I live (the Lincoln Center area), even though, while at Yorktown, I could never have predicted either law or Manhattan in my future.  I also enjoy working out, ballroom dancing, and every single bit of what the City has to offer by way of entertainment.

I look forward to our reunion and celebrating the decades-long evolution of our class—an amazingly talented and spirited group of individuals who make "Boomers" look fantastic (and not just “OK”).