Anassa Kata

Martha Birnbaum ’62

Martha Birnbaum ’62, executive director of the Cambridge Chamber Ensemble, was recognized with the company as it was awarded the prestigious American Prize in Opera Performance for its production of George Frideric Handel’s Samson. Birnbaum founded the opera company with the mission to present lesser-known works and bring opera to more people.

Michael Byrne, M.S.S. ’18

Michael Byrne, M.S.S. ’18 was recognized by the Philadelphia Gay News as one of 49 “Most Influential LGBTQ+ Leaders.” Byrne was recognized for his clinical work as a therapist for the LGBTQ Elder Community through the Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia. Byrne studied at GSSWSR with the goal of moving the needle on loneliness in LGBTQ elders.

Shannon R. Dalton, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’09

Shannon R. Dalton, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’09, was named to Marquis Who’s Who for her contributions to the pharmaceutical industry. Dalton is the director of clinical science at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma America, where she leads teams overseeing clinical research initiatives and contributing to advancement of innovative therapies.

Nan Ellin ’81

Nan Ellin ’81 was recently awarded the position of dean emeritus at the University of Colorado Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning, following six years as dean of the college, in recognition of her leadership, scholarship, and service. She launched the DESIGN/HEALth initiative at the university and is working on her seventh book.

Jonathan Pfeffer, M.S.S. ’24

Jonathan Pfeffer, M.S.S. ’24 received first prize in the Awards for Clinical Excellence from the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work. The award recognizes outstanding clinical scholarship by graduating MSW students in Pennsylvania. Pfeffer was recognized for his psychodynamic work with clients from immigrant backgrounds.

Caitlin A. Romasco ’09

Caitlin A. Romasco ’09 was recognized on the “Ones to Watch” list by the Best Lawyers in America 2026 in the areas of commercial litigation, insurance law, and real estate litigation. A partner at Casner & Edwards in Massachusetts, Romasco represents clients in complex business disputes across industries such as technology, manufacturing, and health care.

Joon Shim ’00

Joon Shim ’00, a general surgeon and the first woman to serve as program director of the General Surgery Residency Program at Bassett Healthcare Network, was appointed to the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Medical Student Education in October 2025 for a three-year term. The committee’s goals include addressing the educational needs of medical students in surgery and playing a pivotal role in developing and implementing new national educational programs.

Zach Silvia, Ph.D. ’22

Zach Silvia, Ph.D. ’22 started a new job at Stanford University as a postdoctoral fellow in Mediterranean archaeology. He will be working on several archaeology projects and a book, a comparative political ecology of the ancient Hellenistic world centering on human resilience in regions of environmental insecurity.

Winter 2026