Newsmakers

The online magazine The Root recently named six alumni and faculty members to its list of the 100 most influential African-Americans between the ages of 25 and 45. Making the list were finance expert MELLODY HOBSON ’91, ranked 50th; fashion critic ROBIN GIVHAN ’86, ranked 67th; JOSHUA DUBOIS *05, the director of the White House’s Office of Faith-based and Neighbor­hood Partner­ships, 79th; and DEAN GARFIELD *95, the CEO and president of the Information Technology Industry Council, 100th. Faculty members among the group were EDDIE S. GLAUDE JR. *97, chairman of the Center for African American studies, at 84th; and novelist COLSON WHITEHEAD, a visiting ­creative-writing lecturer, 34th. ... A medical oncologist who specializes in the treatment of melanoma, JEDD WOLCHOK ’87 was a lead researcher in the development of the FDA-approved drug Yervoy (ipilimumab), which works to improve the immune system’s ability to fight melanoma and leads to increased survival rates among patients not responding to chemotherapy. ... JUAN CARLOS PINZON *10 has become Colombia’s minister of defense.