Meet Our Wedding Party
Elaine’s
All of Elaine’s bridesmaids are close, loyal friends who have shaped me into who I am today. They have dropped everything to support her without limit, and stood by her during the best of times and the worst of times. They are her family and continue to help co-parent her son.
Tom Fowler
Tom is Elaine’s youngest brother who is always there for his family and friends, especially when needed. He keeps a home base in Ohio, though he is often traveling around the world. Tom has been Elaine’s go to date, from countless weddings to work events, always the best dance partner on the dance floor. He is a close friend, confidant, brother, and uncle. He visits the nephews so often, it feels like he lives down the street. Love you Tom!
Crystal Blaylock
Friends since freshman year of college in Nashville, Elaine and Crystal moved to NYC the same summer and have remained best friends since. She was Elaine’s roommate during their Harlem days where they shared bunk beds and had many dance parties in their living room. Crystal moved to Seattle with her lovely husband Mike and finally settled in Raleigh with their 3 fantastic children. Crystal has always been a steadfast, loyal, helpful, supportive friend. Love you Crystal!
Cathy Finlayson
Elaine met Cathy while still a nursing student and was mesmerized by her charisma and confidence. Cathy trained Elaine as a nurse at MSKCC and has taught her everything there is to know about life, research, the universe, nosh, friendship, etc. etc. etc. She is a protector, teacher, fierce advocate, ready to fight for good in the world. She takes good care of Elaine and Drennan with her epic weekly dinners. Love you Cathy!
Kelly Ozello
Kelly is Elaine’s first cousin who moved to NYC as a freshman in college. From hanging out as a family in Los Angeles to spending weekends together in NYC, Kelly and Elaine have become very close over the years. Kelly has been Elaine’s confidant and guide over the past few years. Elaine and Rohan’s relationship would never have been if it hadn’t been for Kelly coming to the rescue to help babysit for last minute dates and for Kelly’s steadfast, sound advice. Kelly is wise beyond her years and the best therapist, adviser, and dear friend. Love you Kelly!
Chris Faroe
Elaine met Chris when they were 5 years old and living in Turkey. They both spent 4 years in high school at boarding school together in Germany. When Elaine moved to NYC in 2006, it was nice to know that her good friend Chris wasn’t too far away studying at Sarah Lawrence. They spent many NYC days going to music shows and art events. As they have gotten older, they can still be found dancing around the sculptures at Dia Beacon. Love you Chris!
Amy Fowler
Amy is Elaine’s oldest sister who now lives in Hawaii (too far!!!). Elaine and Amy used to be roommates in Nashville and then neighbors in Cleveland. Amy is the most loyal, caring sister. She will drop everything for a friend in need. Those who know, know. Elaine hates living so far from her and misses the days when they only lived a few houses down from one another. Love you Amy!
Sarah Peterson
Sarah is Elaine’s second oldest sister and Elaine always imagined they would live in a giant glass house together when they got older. It hasn’t happened – yet. Sarah is brilliant and has helped Elaine with many projects over the years. Their boys have become best friends as they spend their summer days at Camp Cleveland (i.e. the grandparents’ house). There is still time to live in that big glass house ;) love you Sarah!
Debby Bauman
None of this would have happened if it weren’t for Elaine’s youngest sister Debby! Debby is so kind and generous. Unfortunately she will not be able to attend the celebrations in Chicago, but she will be a bridesmaid in spirit. She lives in Malaysia with her two beautiful children and wonderful husband Michael. Love you Debby!
Bryan Vaughan-Farkas
Bryan met Elaine her freshman year of college through mutual friends. From their adventures in Nashville, they moved to NYC the same summer in 2006. Elaine spent her 20’s going to all of the indie shows from Bryan’s label Paper Garden Records. Bryan has become an even closer friend over the years despite living in the UK. Love you Bryan!
Rohan’s
David Cox
David is one of Rohan’s closest college friends. They bonded sophomore year, and have been on more adventures together over the last two decades than they can recall, including a spontaneous trip to Amsterdam without checking the weather. They share an alternately sophisticated and alternately childish sense of humor, honed during prolonged late night debates in research labs (instead of studying for finals). While David is one of the most promising physician scientists in medicine today, both he and Rohan are ready to make their pivots into professional comedy – should be any day now. Love you David!
Pradeep Rajendran
Pradeep is one of Rohan’s closest college friends, a friendship that blossomed freshman year of college after Pradeep introduced himself on AOL instant messenger. After both failing auditions for the Indian dance teams, they retreated to the gym to focus on their biceps workouts, where Pradeep far outshone Rohan. They’ve navigated college, grad school, and life in San Francisco (malaria!) together, with stories to fill a book. Love you Pradeep!
Girmay Zahilay
Girmay is one of Rohan’s closest college friends, and Seattle’s most talented politician. Ever the creative, Girmay’s skills were fully on display when he produced rap music videos in college, a talent that carried him to the top as class President our senior year. A generous and loyal friend, Girmay and Rohan have lived together and re-watched The Office on each other’s couches from coast to coast, including SF, DC, Seattle, Chicago, and NYC. Love you Girmay!
Harya Tarekegn
Harya is one of Rohan’s closest college friends, and always down for adventure, such as their visit to a haunted saloon in the Bay Area foothills, with predictable consequences. From ski trips at Lake Tahoe to summers in NYC, from dating advice to accidentally missing her engagement, they continue to add to their list of adventures. Love you Harya!
Aaron Engel-Hall
Aaron is one of Rohan’s closest college friends. They met senior year, and traveled to Finland together to live fast and eat salt. A legendary summer in Palo Alto later, they worked through grad school and technology entrepreneurship together before moving up to San Francisco after school. There, they started their next chapter of fun, working their first jobs and enjoying the city far too much. Aaron’s indefatigable golden retriever energy and sharp wit made our 20s and 30s such a blast. Love you Aaron!
Brett Lyon
Brett is one of Rohan’s closest college friends. They met senior year, and were fast friends in grad school and living in SF. Rohan has always admired Brett’s creative skills as a consummate renaissance man who could freely shift between ODB-esque freestyles and modern developments in physics. From watching the SF Giants win the World Series, to general “summer feet” summers, it is a privilege and an honor to know such a distinguished gentleman. There’s no one else I’d choose to receive cavalry with. Love you Brett!
Kavi Vyas
Kavi is one of Rohan’s closest college friends, and has been like an older brother to Rohan from day 1 of college, when he was one of Rohan’s RAs. Kavi is a fiercely loyal friend, and will drop anything to take care of his family and friends. From golf cart cruises around campus to Beirut tournament shenanigans and less than ideal Mela preparation, Rohan is very lucky to have Kavi in his life. Love you Kavi!
Prashanth Venkataramanujam
Prashanth is one of Rohan’s oldest friends. They’ve been close since before they could (literally) remember, doing sleepovers and “experiments” together since they were 3 years old. They reconnected in NYC after spending middle school through college apart, and were delighted to find that not much has changed – Rohan is still the funny one. Rohan has always deeply admired Prashanth’s dedication to his craft, his art, and his character. Love you Prashanth!
Sha Hwang
Sha is one of Rohan’s co-founders at Nava and its COO. Together, they have navigated the ups and downs of building a public benefit corporation out of the ashes of HealthCare.gov’s launch in 2013, against all sensible advice. Their collaboration is incredibly productive, and Sha is the best teammate Rohan has ever had, a learner without limits. What starts as work banter often ends at 7th St Burger at 2am, a proud tradition to be continued. Love you Sha!
Nicholas Jackson
Nick is Rohan’s close friend and high school roommate at IMSA, a lucky, chance pairing. Rohan has Nick to thank for expanding his aperture on life during the formative years after middle school. He has learned a huge amount from Nick over the 3 years they lived together. From late night AOE II sessions, to counterstrike in the quad, their high school shenanigans were a blast. They are still close, and regularly see each other when both are in Chicago. Love you Nick!