LaShonda Barnett ’98 will release her first book, I Got Thunder: Black Women Songwriters on Their Craft, in October 2007. The book is a collection of interviews with prominent Black singers and songwriters. It is an extension of her dissertation, which focuses on Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Cassandra Wilson. Interviews include leading performing artists — including Erykah Badu, Chaka Kahn, Dionne Warwick, Dianne Reeves, Nina Simone, Nona Hendryx, Odetta, and Shirley Caesar. LaShonda will begin a book tour at the end of September. For details about the book and tour, visit her site: www.lashondabarnett.com .

Tiffany Basdekis ’07 was hired as a prospect research specialist for the Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and part of New York Presbyterian Hospital. Tiffany researches potential donors to the medical college, and works hand in hand with gift officers and other development professionals to help them solicit contributions. She handles transformational gifts (individual donations of $5 million or more) and is currently working on a campaign described as the biggest ever launched by a university ($4 billion).

Seana O’Shaughnessy ’00 began working for the nonprofit organization Rebuilding Together Peninsula soon after moving back to her home in Oakland, California. Below, Seana discusses her recent appointment as executive director of the organization.

Rebuilding Together Peninsula is a nonprofit that brings together volunteers to provide free repair work for low-income homeowners and community facilities so people can live in safety, warmth, and independence. It is our goal to help people remain in their own homes. Groups of volunteers, led by a volunteer “construction captain,” come together to complete necessary repairs, including: installing new furnaces, water heaters, grabbars, carpeting, plumbing, electrical wiring, fencing, and roofing, and providing painting, landscaping, and clean-up services. The majority of our projects happen on National Rebuilding Day, always the last Saturday of April. Throughout the year, we work with companies to provide team building projects and with youth volunteers to provide clean-up and minor repairs to seniors. I started in March 2007, and my official title is executive director. I am in charge of running the organization — working with our board of directors, setting strategic direction, fundraising, building community partnerships, managing the budget, overseeing HR, making sure the program is on track, problem solving, etc. In the next year, we will be purchasing a building — our first “Home of Our Own.” Also, I will be writing a new strategic plan with an emphasis on strengthening our level of service to clients and deepening our ties to the community. Additionally, we will be exploring and incorporating green building as well as increasing the energy efficiency component of our program.