Pam Fairley sent me the sad news that her husband, Kent Foster, suffered a massive heart attack and died suddenly on April 15, 2024, while they were snorkeling together with friends in the waters off Belize. After Yale, Kent attended Boalt Hall School of Law at UCBerkeley, where he and Pam (a fellow student) met. They married soon after graduating from law school and moved to San Diego, where they raised their two children and pursued their respective legal careers. Kent’s practice focused on representing contractors and water districts. Those of you who knew Kent at Yale will recall his passion for racing sailboats, and he continued to sail and race competitively throughout his life, winning repeated championships at his club in San Diego in his Lido 14 dinghy. Kent suffered a major stroke almost 20 years ago which affected his speech and forced an early retirement from the practice of law. Nevertheless, Kent was able to maintain an active life, including black diamond ski runs and white water kayaking in addition to his sailboat racing. He and Pam enjoyed sailing trips to Greece and French Polynesia, canal trips in France, safaris in Africa, and time at their family cabin in the Michigan Upper Peninsula. Pam told me that the day before he died Kent had a wonderful day sailing and that they had kayaked together the morning of his death. We send our condolences to Pam, their children, and his extended family.
The Yale School of Architecture has announced that a full scholarship has been established in honor of Billie Tsien. After graduating from Yale with a B.A. in Fine Arts, Billie continued her studies in architecture at UCLA, earning her M.Arch degree in 1977. She and Tod Williams opened their firm, Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, in 1986. The Billie Tsien Scholarship Fund reflects Billie’s commitment to increasing diversity in the architecture profession by making the study of architecture more accessible. Billie’s projects include the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, and the American Embassy in Mexico City. She received the National Medal of the Arts from President Obama in 2013. In addition to her practice, Billie teaches as a visiting professor at the Yale School of Architecture.
Bill Bierce is incoming Co-Chair of the Europe Committee of the American Bar Association’s International Law Section. Active in French-American circles and author of a “Smarter Business Exits” book, he champions design thinking for stakeholders across a business’s life cycle. His corporate and commercial legal practice includes tech, privacy, governance of people and AI, outsourcing and collaborative “business divorce.” An experienced mediator, he volunteers as a facilitator in NY mediation trainings. He also enjoys family, pickleball, rowing and non-profit board service.
Tim Powell and Mitch Kapor were featured speakers in a Yale Radio Alumni Group Zoom session in May discussing WYBC in the late 1960s and early 1970s (the “underground years”) and the role the station played in both celebrating and driving the dramatic social changes of the era. Information on upcoming sessions – which are held several times a year, and open to all — will be posted on Yale71.org under the banner news item. Elaine David and Ken Christian have also been involved in guiding this group.
Matt Gold is leading efforts within the American Medical Association to consolidate various initiatives focusing on the use of generative artificial intelligence in the medical field, including research, administration, management of the doctor/patient relationship, and the delivery of medical care. Matt’s focus includes the impact of generative AI on “prior authorizations” and the influence of bias inherent in the data bases upon which generative AI is built.
Don Tansey had the pleasure of joining Scott Staniar (‘85) CEO of New HYTES, Alex Dorato (Yale Varsity Tennis Coach 1986- 2019) and other Yale Tennis Alumni at the Yale Club NYC in May for a very enlightening discussion of New HYTES, a remarkable organization providing after school tennis, academic mentorship, and life skills training (with assistance from Yale SOM) to New Haven’s economically disadvantaged youth. Well worth a visit to newhytes.org for a very refreshing reminder of Yale’s commitment to community service generally and New Haven in particular.
That’s all I have for this edition. I hope that you have a happy and healthy summer. Please send news to share with your classmates.
Cheers,
AMK 5-17-24