March 7, 2017: O’Hanlon ’82 *91 Advocates Different NATO Approach, Mester *85 Supports Interest Rate Increase, and More

Brookings Institution senior fellow Michael O’Hanlon ’82 *91 argues that instead of NATO expansion, “it is time that Western nations seek to negotiate a new security architecture for neutral countries in Eastern Europe.” — The Wall Street Journal

President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Loretta Mester *85 indicates that if the economy continues to perform at its current level, she would support raising interest rates at the next Federal Reserve Board meeting. — Reuters

Charles Gogolak ’94, a producer of NBC’s This is Us, discusses the casting and production decisions behind the hit show. — The Buffalo News 

Margaret Russell ’79, a professor of law at Santa Clara University, explains that hate speech is protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, unless “someone is speaking in a way and in a context in which they’re encouraging violence that could be imminent.” — WBUR

Paul Fishman ’78, the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, has been traveling the state to warn of its growing opioid crisis. — The Bergen Record

Philip Eckhoff *09, the principal investigator of the disease-modeling team at Intellectual Ventures, explains “what is involved in total global eradication of malaria and how interdisciplinary collaboration is the key to out-thinking and out-maneuvering this disease.” — Big Think

Jawaharlal Nehru University Professor Arun Kumar *76 explains that the recent demonetization program in India “failed to put a dent in the black economy but caused untold hardship” to the country. — Moneylife

Michelle Williams ’84, the dean of Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, received the 2017 Trailblazer Award from the U.S. Attorney of the Eastern District of New York. — Queens Chronicle

Providence College professor Anthony Esolen ’81 calls for a more traditional approach to sacred spaces in a commentary titled “Free Our Churches From the Ugly and Stupid.” — The Wall Street Journal

Entrepreneur Sabrina Peterson ’04 discusses her move from the banking industry to founding Pure Ventures, which sells consumer products like energy drinks, kids’ sunscreen, and organic snacks. — Forbes

Canadian physician Charles Shaver ’66 says that that the United States should look to Canada’s example “for a way to more efficiently cover elective surgery such as joint replacements on some of its patients.” — Calgary Sun 

The Federal Reserve Board named Ann Misback ’79 as its secretary, where she will support board members and plan meetings. Misback, an attorney, has served the Fed in several roles since 1992. — The Federal Reserve

Florida Gov. Rick Scott named higher-education advocate and Florida A&M University trustee Nicole Washington ’04 to serve on Florida’s Constitution Revision Commission. — Tampa Bay Times

Princeton University trustee John Diekman ’65 has been the named the chairman of the board of the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif. — San Diego Tribune

Shantel Blakely *97 received the Richard Rogers Fellowship from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. — ArchDaily

Real-estate investor Bruce McBarnette ’80, a 12-time masters world champion in the high jump, participated in the USA Track and Field Masters Championship in Albuquerque and won the age 55-to-59 men’s title by clearing 1.73 meters. — Albuquerque Journal

Virgin Galactic’s George Whitesides ’96 says that Virgin Orbit, which plans to launch small satellites on airborne planes into space, “has several commercial and government customers signed up” and plans to complete a test flight at the end of this year. — The Washington Post

Founder and CEO of Mirror Digital Sheila Marmon ’94 discusses her job as an advertising entrepreneur and how companies can support more diversity in the advertising industry. — The Drum

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