People & Profiles
During his first week at Northwestern, Josh Sukoff marched through Weber Arch, holding a 360-degree camera overhead to document what he hoped would be the beginning of something extraordinary. Throughout his campus experience, Sukoff’s camera served as a passport to new places and perspectives.
As an undergrad, Rita Chang-Eppig ’04 realized that she didn’t understand people very well. Her writing is now informed by years of talking about human struggles as a clinical psychologist.
Jake Lyons ’22 started playing the online game GeoGuessr in high school but didn’t get serious about it until his junior year at Northwestern. Today, he’s turned his hobby into a career as a professional GeoGuessr player, tournament broadcaster and content creator.
As mayor of Highland Park, Ill., Nancy Rotering ’85 MBA prioritizes fiscal responsibility, public safety and community building. She also has a passion for teaching young people to advocate for themselves.
On Sept. 28, 2025, Taeyoung Lee ’26 finished his sixth international Ironman triathlon, becoming the youngest person to complete an Ironman on six continents.
Jason Rickard ’11 and his brother, Jordan, own and run FioRito, a “Midwest Italian” restaurant in their hometown of Wichita, Kan. This year they were named James Beard Award semifinalists in the Best Chef: Midwest category.
Wall Street Journal editor Justin Baer ’97 MS explores the famously secretive, family-owned company Fidelity in his new book, House of Fidelity: The Rise of the Johnson Dynasty and the Company That Changed American Investing.
As president of the NU Club of Greater New York, Idil Kara ’21 is creating spaces for alumni to connect and build community. Through events and outreach, she brings a sense of Northwestern to life in the city.
If Glenn DeWeirdt ’84 DDS is not in his dental office, he’s probably on a racetrack. From April through October, DeWeirdt moonlights as a high-performance vehicle driving instructor, an avocation that involves “hours of boredom tempered by moments of sheer terror.”
Former Northwestern Wildcat Ike Kepford and his fellow Jolly Rogers in Fighter Squadron 17 helped foil what could have been a devastating Japanese anti-carrier attack in the early days of the Pacific War. For most of 1944, Kepford was the Navy’s leading ace with a total of 16 aerial victories, and for his service, he was awarded two Navy Crosses, a Silver Star and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
