MaryJane & Samuel
Wedding Party
Ali Anderson
Maid of Honor
Ali is MJ's favorite sister. From attending Girl Scout Camp in the Adirondacks to ski racing at Gore Mountain, the two have shared many laughs over the years. Ali is the creative thinker of the family. Her more notable achievements include crafting one-of-a-kind bespoke Halloween costumes, convincing the Anderson family to raise a black lab puppy for the Guiding Eyes program, and inventing a hands-free dog leash for the iPhone-holding dog walkers of the future. Today, Ali lives in San Francisco, CA, where she continues to apply her out-of-the-box thinking in the tech industry. When she isn't working, she enjoys biking and skiing throughout the region and taking cooking classes during her world travels.
Kurt Werner
Best Man
Kurt and Sam have been friends since they first met in college 7 years ago. After writing a lengthy essay on why he should be chosen as best man, he got the spot. Kurt lives in Pittsburgh with his wife Katelyn and their dog, Paxton. He provides for his family through multiple mediums: he is an active LinkedIn and Venmo influencer, an expert consultant for Pittsburgh Magazine’s hottest Food Trucks section, and a humbly confident ghostwriter for the content of “You Need a Budget.” If you catch him at the wedding, be sure to ask about his and Sam’s ‘first date.’
Christine Oh
Bridesmaid
Christine and MJ joke that they have been friends since birth; the two were born just hours apart at Albany Med! Over the years, the two celebrated their First Communion together, dolled up for prom, and poured over the books in Cult/Lit. Their families have shared many happy memories at backyard barbecues and powder days at Gore Mountain. Today, Christine lives in Miami, FL with her husband Justin and their energetic golden retriever Dixie. She has an eye for design and enjoys fostering the blooms around their home.
Tyler Lucas
Groomsman
Tyler met Sam when he was a freshman student pursuing philosophy and math. Tyler and Sam first knew their friendship would run deep after deep intellectual discourse related to Tyler’s majors that he ended up dropping to pursue the much more rational choice of computer science. After seeing many roommates come and go through the Kamin St house, Tyler and Sam have developed many shared loves, including Jimmy John's that Sam usually buys for Tyler to get his help on computer programming questions. Tyler works in Pittsburgh at Berkshire Grey working on [[PROPRIETARY]] and lives in Mt Oliver with his wife, Molly. Be sure to take a selfie with him at the wedding and tag him as he grows his presence on social media!
Katherine France
Bridesmaid
Alumnae of Penn Dental Medicine, '16, Katherine and MJ have been through thick and thin together. The two became fast friends during their first year, with a shared love of Philadelphia's restaurant week, running 5K to half marathon specialty themed road races, and a shared reflexive "yes" to the chance to learn something new. Katherine and MJ have travelled near and far together, including Atlantic City, NJ, Budapest, Hungary, and Split, Croatia. Katherine lives in Philadelphia where she is an Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine. In her free time, she is student of the cinema and adventurous cook. Ask her about her "Iron Bartender" parties at Carleton!
Jonathan Cunningham
Groomsman
Jonathan and Sam met and were quick acquaintances and became faster friends after Jonathan had ran out of options of people to live with and asked Sam if he had any spots left. Their friendship deepened, even more, when the same thing happened two more times and Jonathan shared a room with Sam. Thankfully, Jonathan met his forever roommate (wife: Kelsey) so Sam is able to find new places to live without fear of accidental roommates. While Jonathan could regale many a story about brutally cold winters and scorching hot summers, falling ceiling tiles, and stray cats in our college apartment, it’s probably better to ask him about something a little happier, like their brand new coffee shop (Round Table Coffee) in Shadyside (Pittsburgh) or his homemade sourdough. It’s to die for, really.
Valentina Zahran
Bridesmaid
Valentina and MJ are both chief residents in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The two actually met while on the interview trail, becoming star-crossed coworkers and best friends. Val hails from Columbus Ohio, where she and her four sisters enjoyed learning how to roll gnocchi from their Nona and reassemble vacuum cleaners for their mother. She is a modern renaissance woman. As a new home owner, she spends her weekends mastering DIY projects and frying chicken wings for her friends. Request a Justin Timberlake song to get her on the dance floor!
Dan Bendit
Groomsman
Dan and Sam first met back in college after a friend set them up to meet under false pretenses. Much to Dan’s dismay, Sam did not actually have an interest in gleaning Dan’s vast musical wisdom and prowess. Dan pushed through his initial disappointment and decided to continue hanging out with Sam. A great deal of life was shared over their Subway lunches and dinners, and that ever-so distinctive effervescence of Subway is, honestly, still lingering with both of them. Dan lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Stella, and their daughters, Eliza and Margot. In his spare time, when he’s not gifting the world with his musical talent, he cleans mulberries off of their lovely patio and has a really cool virtual reality PlayStation headset. Ask him about their favorite ways to get Eliza to laugh!
Michelle Anderson
Bridesmaid
Michelle is the newest addition to the Anderson family; she and Justin wed in Scotia in June 2019. As MJ's sister-in-law, Michelle has brought new laughter to the mandatory family fun. She is the oldest of four children and fits right in with the rambunctious Anderson clan. Together, she and Sam have dubbed themselves "the Outlaws." Michelle and Justin live in Albany, New York where they are preparing to welcome their first child. When she isn't working, Michelle loves listening to "The Morning Toast" podcast and testing new recipes in the kitchen. Put on some Bruno Mars and give this girl a mic- she can sing!
Justin Anderson
Groomsman
Justin is MJ's favorite brother. Justin has long played a key role in Anderson Mandatory Family Fun©, from serving as first mate on the family boat to master waxer of the alpine skis. He earned the nickname "the manchild" for reaching 6'6" in high school; he will be easy to spot on the dance floor! Justin now lives in Albany with his wife Michelle, where he works in Manhattan for PWC. Justin is a true master in the kitchen; he makes smoking a brisket and pulling together a bowl of ramen look easy.
Kyle Irwin
Groomsman
Kyle was one of Sam’s first friends back in college. They realized their friendship while pursuing an art gallery that neither of them had any particular vested interest in seeing. Perhaps it was the banal backdrop of that first meeting which made friendship seem within reach. Or perhaps it was the day-long road trip back and forth across Pennsylvania that they took so that he wouldn’t fail his freshman psychology class. Kyle lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and their two boys. In the little free time he has, he studies Bezzerwizzer trivia cards so he can ensure he sweeps the floor with the competition next time they invite others over to play. Be sure to ask him about his work with Ken Jennings and his future appearance on next year’s Jeopardy!