Biography

I was born in Moscow, Russia, on Feb 23, 1981, and was wisely whisked away to the Big Apple at the nadir of Ed Koch’s mayoral tenure, stopping off in Houston, TX, for a few years, before settling in Philadelphia, PA, where I had the benefit of five years of Cheltenham public schooling, and two years at the Germantown Friends School, a Quaker outfit. After seven years in Philadelphia, I moved to Los Gatos, California, where I went to middle and high school. After that, I did my A.B. at Princeton University and a Master of Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of Oxford University, where I focused on the philosophy of science.I enjoy reading fiction and history. I am an avowed classical music nut, but enjoy many different styles. When time permits, I enjoy playing cello, participating in the Chamber Music Program at Caltech, taking pictures, and venturing out for the occasional hike. I believe the city of Los Angeles is much maligned. While it is a traffic planner’s nightmare, you’ll find unmatched diversity (Boyle Heights, K-town, the Armenian neighborhoods of Glendale and Pasadena, San Gabriel), great music, interesting museums, deserts, beaches, and mountains. There’s nowhere like it! That said, other places are nice too. I’ve enjoyed traveling to Rome and London best.