Fall 2008 to Fall 2016 The thumbnail biographies from The Observer of IRP members are listed here so that members can look for people with similar interests or expertise in particular fields as they develop proposals for study groups. The bios date back to 2008, however; Spring 2010 is missing. JOHN COONEY. Villanova, BA; Rotary International Fellow to South India; Russell Sage Fellow, Washington U. Was a reporter for the Philadelphia Inquirer and a reporter and editor for the Wall Street Journal. Has written eight books. Was a foreign correspondent and has traveled extensively. Is a mentor in a basketball program in the Bronx and has worked with a homeless shelter. MARY ELWOOD. Mount St. Vincent, BA; U. of Chicago, MA; Bank Street College of Education, MS. Studied at NYU. Taught at nursery schools and NYC public schools. Was involved in community activities and has spent time recently caring for family members. Is interested in literature and history. Has belonged to two book clubs. ROBERT GERACE. CCNY, BA; NYU, MA; St. John’s University, PhD in English. Taught English at Queensborough Community College and was a field sales manager and sales trainer for Bowker Publishing. Has a certificate in teaching English as a foreign language. Has worked with foreign students and with Big Apple Greeters. Interests include travel and opera. MARION KOSSOFF. Hunter College, BA; U. of New Rochelle, MS; courses at University of London and Henry George School of Social Science. Has taught in Rockland County, at Mercy College and at the English School of Bregenz, Austria. Has volunteered at Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Museum. Has lived in London and Austria. MARSHALL MARCOVITZ. Roosevelt U., University of Chicago. Was founder and is former CEO of the Chef’s Catalog, a consumer catalog and Internet retail store. Has taught marketing at the U. of Chicago and writes a column for Gourmet Retailer magazine. Has been a member of the Olli program at Northwestern U. in Chicago and recently relocated to New York. DANIEL MARCUS. Washington U., BA; George Washington U., MD. Was a retina specialist in northwest Ohio and a clinical professor of surgery at the U. of Toledo. Was active in the arts in Akron. Recently relocated to New York. Volunteers at New York Presbyterian-Cornell Hospital and Carnegie Hall. Interests include photography, art, music and travel. MIREYA PEREZ. Hunter College, BA; Boston U, MA; Rutgers, PhD in Spanish literature. Was an associate professor at the College of New Rochelle for many years. Is an ordained interfaith minister and performs marriages. Has been a Pan American Center mentor and has coordinated many cultural events. Has taught Latino values and health to medical personnel. Has traveled widely. MARK SCHER. NYU, Cleveland State U. and U. of Warsaw, law degrees. Was a lawyer specializing in international and immigration law. Was an administrative law judge for the state Department of Social Services. Did pro bono legal work on immigration. Speaks eight foreign languages. Interests include literature, history, philosophy and psychology. JERRI SHERMAN. NYU, BA, MA. Had her own company in the garment industry; earned her degrees after retiring. Is active with AIPAC, the lobby group supporting Israel. Has done extensive world-wide adventure travel. Interests include sports, politics and knitting. CARY SPERLING. Russell Sage College, MA; New School, MA. Taught y at St. Vincent’s Hospital Nursing School, Baruch College and Haifa University in Israel. Was a farm wife for 20 years. Worked with Ethiopian Jewish students in Israel and helped organize a performance in New York by Ethiopian actors of a play by Wole Soyinka . MICHAEL SWITZER. Harper College, BA; Georgetown, JD. Practiced real estate law and was an associate general counsel for AXA Equitable Life. Was a mentor for younger lawyers and volunteered in a reading program for young children. Started a book discussion group in the 1970s that still continues. Interests include literature, films, poetry and current issues. CARTER SWOOPE. Millsaps College, BA; Yale, MPhil in theater history. Was a Danforth and Woodrow Wilson Fellow. Worked for Chemical Bank, Merrill Lynch, Arthur Andersen and JP Morgan. Has volunteered in drama programs. EVA VOGEL. Slovak Technical U., BS, MS, PhD in chemistry. Was a technical researcher for many years with Bell Labs. Holds many patents, has served on technical review panels and published more than 80 papers. Volunteers at the St. Barnabas Hospice, the Jewish Family Service in Elizabeth, N.J., and the Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study. Fall 2009 JOAN EHRLICH. Co-owner of a physical therapy practice for 20 years. Has taken courses at NYU and attended lectures at the 92nd Street Y, and the Foreign Policy Association. Volunteers at the Metropolitan Museum, the Philharmonic and the Chamber Music Society. Does photography, makes jewelry and has a pilot’s license. Belongs to the James Beard Foundation. SUSAN FELDMAN. NYU, BS.; Hunter College, MA. Former NYC school teacher, Co-owned the Rug Warehouse and the Loom & Weave Gallery; still works part-time. Collects and studies textile art, particularly from Central Asia. Active volunteer and board director of the Citizens Committee for Children. Member of synagogue board and parent volunteer at Trinity School. Served on a task force on issues affecting children in the juvenile justice system. EDWARD FLEISHMAN. U. OF North Carolina,BA, MA; CUNY, AAD in sociology. Taught in high school for 21 years and in college for 10 years. Has taken many continuing education courses in literature and philosophy. Belongs to a reading group in philosophy in Brooklyn. Interests include travel, opera, spectator sports and reading. ALAN FLORIN. NYU, BA, MBA. Was a managing director at Bear, Stearns for 32 years. Was a trustee- director of Daytop Foundation for 10 years and was on the finance committee at Temple Sinai in Roslyn. Is a member of the Civil War Round Table. Has taken courses at NYU and the New School. Has studied many subjects including acting, but a major interest is history. VINCENT FUCCILLO. Brooklyn College, MA, MA; NYU, PhD in political science. Was a professor at Brooklyn College for more than 35 years and was chair of the Political Science Department. Interests include classical music, Italian literature and travel in western Europe. He works part-time at the Italian Cultural Institute. DICK KOSSOFF. Cornell U., BS, MBA. Headed his own company of international management consultants. Worked overseas and lived in Japan. Was president of the James Madison H.S. Alumni Association and served on the Cornell U. Council. Founded the Cornell Entrepreneur Association. Has taken courses at NYU and the New School and continues to travel to world conferences. DANIEL MARCUS. Washington U., BA; George Washington U., MD. Was president of Retina Consultants of Northwest Ohio and a clinical professor of surgery at the U. of Toledo. Relocated from Ohio after retirement to pursue cultural interests. Volunteers at NYP-Cornell Hospital and Carnegie Hall. Interests include photography, art, music and travel. FRANK MONTATURO. Iona College, BA; Institut de Touraine, Tours, France, certificate d’etudes; Fordham U., MA. Taught Spanish at Friends Seminary. Has taken continuing education courses in Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, history and Korean arts. Was a friendly visitor at a nursing home. Interests include art history. BARBARA KOBRIN. Immaculate Heart College, BA, MA; Southern California U., doctor of psychology. Psychotherapist in private practice. Was director of a therapy center. Has gone on human rights trips to Cuba and Nicaragua. Gives free nutrition and cooking classes to low-income people. Was a volunteer therapist at an AIDS project and a board member of One Bright World, building schools and clinics in Liberia, and is currently a member of the mayor’s committee on AIDS programs in New York. VINCENT NAVARRO. Brooklyn College, BA, MA. Was a teacher and principal in NYC schools. Has been a docent at the Metropolitan for 10 years. Volunteer activities also include the NY Academy of Public Education, Carnegie Hall and the Ethical Culture Society. Interests include bridge, bike riding and swimming. Has gone to many Elderhostels. MARIANNE NELSON. Wayne State U., BA; Rutgers Law School, JD. Was a trial lawyer who worked as a public defender and then for the NYC Corporation Counsel an d as associate legal counsel to the NYC Health and Hospital Corp. Teaches trial techniques to new lawyers. Adopted an 8-year-old child from Russia. Writes plays and short stories. Has been a member of the ACLU, Tenants and Neighbors and the Democratic Reform Club. Has traveled extensively. JANE OSMERS. BA, Fordham; MA, NYU. Was a workshop coordinator at the Young Adult Institute, then aide to the dean and director of administration at the NYU Gallatin School. Volunteered for 20 years to help a developmentally disabled woman. Belonged to a poetry writing group. Was a member of the Community Service Organization. STEPHEN REICHSTEIN. Hunter College, BA; U. of Pennsylvania, MCP. Was a city planner in Pittsburgh, then director of community development for NYC government agencies and then assistant to the Brooklyn borough president. Has taught at St. John’s U. Headed a homeowners’ association in Forest Hills for five years. Is on the board of the Bleuler Psychotherapy Center and is a certified citizen tree pruner. Has written several books. Spent a year traveling around the world. SYLVIA STAUB. Brandeis U., BA; Harvard, EdM, Doctor of Education. Was a clinical psychologist in private practice. Has taught in elementary and middle schools and at Harvard Medical School, UMass- Amherst and Mount Holyoke. Was a clinical consultant at Hampshire College. Has organized forums on issues such as gender violence. Was a board member of a rape crisis center in Boston. Volunteered as an adult literacy teacher in Harlem.