Class Notes
’20s
Colin Doyle M.M. ’21 received the Frances MacEachron Award and a $1,500 prize at the 44th annual Lyndon Woodside Oratorio-Solo Competition Finals Concert, held by the Oratorio Society of New York at the Riverside Church in New York City. Doyle sang two contrasting oratorio works for the competition.
’10s
Nora Eckert M. Jour. ’19 was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize as part of a team of reporters from The Wall Street Journal uncovering misinformation about COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.
Aaron Paige DMA ’19 was selected for the Cleveland Institute of Music’s Future of Music Faculty Fellowship, a career development initiative that will engage 35 Black and Latinx music professionals who are pursuing or considering academic careers. He is an assistant professor of music (voice) at Ball State University and a former member of the Singing Sergeants, United States Air Force Band.
Noam Auslander Ph.D. ’18 was hired as an assistant professor in the molecular and cellular oncogenesis program of the Wistar Institute Cancer Center in Philadelphia. Auslander majored in computer science and biology at Tel Aviv University and received her Ph.D. in computer science. She conducted postdoctoral research with the evolutionary genomics research group at the National Center for Biotechnology Information of the National Institutes of Health.
Juliana Prezelski ’18, M.S. ’19 recently accepted the position of coordinator of football operations at Mississippi State University in Starkville.
Michael Hurwitz MBA ’17 and Christine Sun were married May 22 at the Garrison, an events space and golf resort in Garrison, N.Y. He is the director for insights and data strategy in the New York office of the French agency Havas Media Group. The couple’s “how we met” story was featured in The New York Times.
Franz Payer ’17 was named the national Cyber Hero for May 2021 by the nonprofit SynED, which identifies emerging best practices for effective articulation between employers, job seekers and educators. Payer is the founder and CEO of Cyber Skyline, a provider of cybersecurity education and training for students and professionals.
Tiffany Burba ’14 was elected to the leadership team of the North Carolina Bar Association’s Intellectual Property Law Section. She will help drive education and networking for intellectual property attorneys across the state. At the law firm of Parker Poe, Burba helps clients protect their intellectual property rights and negotiate technology contracts.
Justin Fincher Ph.D. ’14 joined Stony Brook University as vice president for advancement and executive director of the Stony Brook Foundation. He was formerly vice president for advancement at The Ohio State University. Fincher earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Rutgers University. He earned his master’s in college student personnel and Ph.D. in higher education administration, both from the University of Maryland. He has taught and advised master’s and doctoral students at Maryland and Ohio State.
Asad Jabbar MBA ’14 joined strategy firm McKinsey & Company as head of alliances and partnerships for the U.S. public sector. He joins McKinsey from LMI, a government-focused management consulting firm. Jabbar spent the last year as director of growth for the firm’s health and civilian markets, leading the business development function and building up strategic partnerships. Before that, he spent two years as director of capture management at LMI. He holds a master’s degree in technology management from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Loyola University Maryland.
Varun Murthy ’14 married Rashmitha Vasa on Aug. 28 at the Grandover Resort and Spa in Greensboro, N.C., according to the New York Times. Murthy is a computer engineer in Washington for the U.S. government.
Matthew Sarna ’14, an associate in DLA Piper’s restructuring practice, received the 20/20 Partners Rising Young Leader Award from the Business Bankruptcy Committee of the American Bar Association Business Law Section. The award recognizes the nation’s top young bankruptcy lawyers who have demonstrated a commitment to business bankruptcy, community involvement, leadership and professionalism. Sarna was one of 19 lawyers selected for the inaugural class of the award. Sarna also assists veterans with obtaining discharge upgrades through the National Veterans Legal Services Program.
Professional lacrosse player, fitness instructor and entrepreneur Alex Aust ’13, who competed with the Terps, became the first woman from the sport to appear in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue. She wrote on Instagram, “8-YEAR-OLD ALEX WOULD BE SCREAMING AND CRYING IN DISBELIEF. This is an absolute DREAM COME TRUE!”
Wes Hunter ’13 has become affiliated with the Bulfinch Group, a wealth management firm headquartered in Needham, Mass. Hunter has spent the last decade performing in the Washington, D.C., and Boston areas as a classically trained opera singer, but has a new goal of helping to take financial pressures off his clients so that they can enjoy other aspects of life. He earned his master of music, opera performance, from the Boston Conservatory.
Vinay Sharma ’13 was appointed corporate associate at Nemphos Braue, a boutique corporate and business law firm. His expertise includes negotiations and agreements and sophisticated mergers and acquisitions. He graduated from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Chris Kolling MBA ’12 was appointed vice president of marketing at Feroot Security, a leading provider of client-side cybersecurity products. Kolling holds a bachelor’s degree from American University.
Mary Catherine “Katy” O’Neill M.L.S. ’12 was named library director of the Loyola/Notre Dame Library, which provides information services and resources to Loyola University Maryland and Notre Dame of Maryland University. She has served the library in different roles since 2012, including as associate director of research and technology services since 2016. She has experience at the University of Maryland Global Campus, the U.S. Naval Academy and the National Archives, and held positions at firms including Booz Allen Hamilton, Fannie Mae and PepsiCo. She holds a B.S. in organizational development and human resources from Cornell University and an MBA from American University.
Lauren (Cevis) Rhodes ’11 joined the Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics staff as the senior associate athletic director, student-athlete performance, health and welfare and senior woman administrator. Rhodes spent the past seven years at Jacksonville University, most recently serving as deputy athletic director/SWA. Prior to her time at Jacksonville, Rhodes served in academic support roles at the University of Maryland, University of Georgia and George Washington University. Rhodes earned a master's degree in sports industry management from Georgetown University, as well as an MBA and doctorate in business administration from Jacksonville University.
Kirsten Fox Ph.D. ’11 was named executive director of Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society. Fox, who was initiated into Mortar Board at the Ohio State University, previously directed campus engagement for Denison University’s Knowlton Center for Career Exploration and the Undergraduate Leadership and Engagement Office for Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business. She is director of the Placement Exchange, a partnership between the Association of College and University Housing Officers International and NASPA: Student Affairs Educators in Higher Education.
Mark A. Johnson M.A. ’11 wrote the book, “Rough Tactics: Black Performance in Political Spectacles, 1877–1932,” a look at the earliest Black efforts to overcome disfranchisement in the Jim Crow South. He is a lecturer in the Department of History at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga and also wrote “An Irresistible History of Alabama Barbecue: From Wood Pit to White Sauce.”
Leah Cox Ph.D. ’10 was named vice provost for equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was previously the inaugural vice president for inclusion and institutional equity at Towson University, where she launched a diversity strategic plan for inclusive excellence and coordinated numerous campus climate studies. She is the president of the Mid-Atlantic Diversity Officers in Higher Education, served on the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia Advisory Committee on Sexual Violence, was a member of the Commonwealth Attorney’s Sexual Assault Response Team and served on Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s Task Force on Sexual Assault on College Campuses. Cox holds a bachelor’s degree from Western Maryland College and a master’s degree from the University of Arizona.
Lauren DeStefano MBA ’10 joined Hotaling & Co., a San Francisco-based artisanal spirits distiller and importer, as chief financial officer. DeStefano received her bachelor’s degree in managerial economics and Spanish studies at Allegheny College.
Sara Reynolds ’10, Ph.D. ’16 is a new assistant professor of biology at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va.
Greg Schimmel ’10 was named editor of the breaking news desk in sports at The Washington Post. He came to the department in 2006 as a part-time editorial aide while a UMD student, then served as a news aide, high school sports reporter and high school sports coordinator and went on to become a multiplatform editor, with regular shifts as copy chief and night news editor.
’00s
Franco Gentile MBA ’08 was named vice president/general manager of KPTM (FOX) in Omaha. Gentile has held several leadership positions across Sinclair Broadcast Group, most recently as director of sales at WSYX/ABC 6, FOX28 and WWHO/CW, in Columbus, Ohio. Gentile holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University.
Former WWE wrestler and NFL player Dean Muhtadi ’08, MBA ’11 made his movie acting debut in “Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins,” which came out in July. He appeared in the opening fight scene with lead actor Henry Golding. Muhadi had signed with the Green Bay PAckers and Arizona Cardinals between his UMD degrees, then began a career as a pro wrestler, going by the name Mojo Rawley.
Michael Gavin Ph.D. ’07 was appointed president of Delta College by its Board of Trustees. Gavin currently serves as vice president of learning at Anne Arundel Community College and was previously its associate vice president of learning and academic affairs. He holds a doctorate degree in American studies.
Ryan Higgins MBA ’07 was named chief commercial officer of OmniTRAX, the Broe Group's transportation affiliate. Higgins joins OmniTRAX from CSX Transportation. Higgins has a bachelor's degree from DePauw University and the Certified in Transportation & Logistics designation from the Association of Supply Chain Management.
Scott Shewfelt M.Jour. ’07 competed on three episodes of “Jeopardy!” in April. He won twice, on April 1 and 2, taking home $48,800, on episodes hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Michelle Asha Cooper Ph.D. ’06 was appointed the deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs in the Office of Postsecondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education. She had served as president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy since 2008 and previously held leadership roles at the education department’s advisory committee on student financial assistance, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Council for Independent Colleges and King’s College.
Chanan Weissman ’06 was appointed White House liaison to the Jewish community. He was previously the director for technology and democracy on the National Security Council and served as the Jewish liaison during President Obama’s final year in office.
Christina Billiet ’05 is the new managing partner of Waranch & Brown, one of the top litigation defense firms in Maryland. Billiet has practiced law since 2008 and spent her entire career at Waranch & Brown, advancing from a summer law clerk to associate to partner. Billiet received her law degree from the University of Baltimore.
Will Jones Jr. ’05, M.Ed. ’08 was named executive director of the office of career exploration and success at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Before then, Jones was the associate director for external relations and information technology for the University Career Center and the President's Promise at UMD.
Four books by Jason Reynolds ’05 simultaneously appeared in June on The New York Times’ bestsellers list in four categories, including two versions of “Stamped,” with co-author Ibram X. Kendi in the No. 1 spot (Young Adult Hardcovers) and “Stamped (for Kids)” (Middle Grade Hardcovers). He also was awarded the Carnegie Medal, the UK’s most prestigious prize for children’s books, for “Look Both Ways.”
Daniel Roffman ’05 joined Charles River Associates, a worldwide leader in providing economic, financial and management consulting services, as a vice president in the company’s forensic services practice. Roffman joins CRA with over 20 years of digital forensics and information security consulting experience.
Dontá Wilson MBA ’05 was appointed to UNC Charlotte’s board of trustees. He is Truist Financial’s chief digital and client experience officer. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UNC Charlotte.
Jena McNeil ’04 joined East Kentucky Power Cooperative as director of legislative and government relations. McNeill, who formerly served as a key staff member for U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, will represent the interests of EKPC and its 16 owner-member electric cooperatives in legislative matters before federal, state, and local governments. McNeill received a law degree from the University of Arkansas Little Rock School of Law.
Evandro Valente ’03, M.S. ’06, co-founder and chief technology officer at unmanned aircraft systems company Agility in UMD’s Discovery District, was selected among Forbes magazine’s “Next 1,000 Upstart Entrepreneurs Redefining the American Dream.”
Benjamin Kelley ’02, who represents lenders and borrowers in commercial real estate financing transactions, was elected by the members of the American College of Mortgage Attorneys as a fellow of the organization of leading mortgage attorneys nationwide. He is a partner in the Baltimore office of Ballard Spahr LLP.
Lloyd McCoy ’02, MPP ’04 joined DLT Solutions LLC., a subsidiary of Tech Data and a government technology solutions aggregator, as the director, market intelligence within its Office of the Chief Technology Officer. McCoy spent nearly nine years at immixGroup and before then was a senior analyst in the intelligence community for eight years. He earned an M.S. in strategic intelligence from the National Intelligence University.
Matt Tarascio M.A. ’02 joined Booz Allen Hamilton as a senior vice president in the strategic innovation group, leading the analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) business in support of the U.S. Department of Defense. In his most recent role, he served as Lockheed Martin’s vice president of AI. He previously served as Lockheed Martin’s first chief data and analytics officer and held senior roles at Sikorsky. Tarascio earned his bachelor’s degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.
Nakia White Barr ’01 joined Princeton University as assistant vice president in the office of the president. She was previously secretary of the board of trustees at Michigan State University. Barr earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan, the state of New Jersey, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.
Balaji Panchapakesan Ph.D. ’01, professor of mechanical engineering and founding director of the Small Systems Laboratory at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was selected for a 2021-22 Fulbright Award to India.
Daniel Powell ’01 is the author of "Paper Birds and Other Flying Objects." The book tells the story of Elvira "Ellie" Zak, a 10-year-old origami maker, amateur astronomer and outsider who takes a perilous but incredible journey when nearly everyone in town turns against her. Available from Books With Books. The book is his debut novel.
Amanda Schoch ’01 was named chief communications officer at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Schoch previously served as chief communications officer and assistant director of national intelligence for strategic communications for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She earned a Master of Arts degree in national security from Johns Hopkins University.
Adrienne Wojciechowski ’01 was nominated by President Joe Biden to be assistant secretary of congressional relations at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Most recently, she served as a professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration. Previously, she served as senior policy adviser for agriculture, environment and energy to U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont).
Raj Arora ’00 was elected to the board of directors of the National Fire Protection Association. Arora has more than 20 years of experience working in all facets of fire protection. He is the CEO of Jensen Hughes, a safety, security and risk-based engineering and consulting firm based in Baltimore.
David Dodman MBA ’00 was promoted to chief operating officer of Life Storage, a national owner and operator of self-storage properties. He joined Life Storage in 2018.
Brian Nixon ’00 rejoined Davis Wright Tremaine as a partner in its technology, communications, and privacy and security practice. Nixon spent a decade at Loeb and Loeb, where he was partner, and previously practiced for seven years with DWT. Nixon received his law degree from The George Washington University Law School.
’90s
Seth Goodman ’99 was appointed senior vice president-chief revenue officer at WebBank. He has over 20 years of banking and financial consulting experience and received his MBA from Columbia Business School.
Christine Hudak MLS ’99 is the author of “Friday Afternoons: Brief Writings During a Pandemic.”
Emily Smalley ’99, MFA ’01 was named CEO of Calmer Choice, a thought leader in secular mindfulness, and social emotional health and wellbeing in schools and communities. Smalley, who joined Calmer Choice in 2017, previously served as the organization’s chief operating officer. Prior to joining Calmer Choice, Smalley held senior leadership positions at several Boston-area nonprofits and educational institutions.
Nayé Bathily ’98 joined the board of directors of Pathfinder International, a sexual and reproductive health and rights organization. She serves as senior officer for external affairs and head of global parliamentary engagement at the World Bank. In addition, Bathily launched the nonprofit Shine to Lead/Jiggen Jan Tekki, a youth development organization providing mentorship and support to underserved and disenfranchised high school girls in the poorer suburbs of Dakar, Senegal.
Tamar Chute MLS ’98, who currently works as a university archivist and head of archives at Ohio State University, will be a fellow of the Society of American Archivists. The distinction is the highest honor bestowed on individuals for outstanding contributions to the archives profession. Chute earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan. As a graduate assistant in archives at UMD, she helped gather the information that became the foundation for “MAC to Millennium,” an online guide to UMD’s history.
Juan Sempertegui ’98 was appointed deputy general counsel of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Previously, Sempertegui served as assistant general counsel and senior vice president at Bank of America, N.A. and is an alum of the State of Maryland’s Office of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation and the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He attended Johns Hopkins University and American University Washington College of Law.
Andrew R. Smarick ’98, M.P.M. ’01 was appointed by Gov. Larry Hogan to serve on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. He chairs the Maryland Higher Education Commission, is a former president of the State Board of Education, and served as a domestic policy advisor to former president George W. Bush. He is an author and a former deputy assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Education.
Michael Fellerman ’97 joined the Baltimore office of Miles & Stockbridge. He will work across practice groups in the firm on tax matters related to public finance, health care and business transactions. He has two decades of experience working for a Big Four accounting firm and then at a New York law firm after earning a Master’s of Law in Taxation from New York University.
Jon Schwartz ’97 was named senior vice president of communications, marketing, digital and social media of the Big Ten Conference. Prior to this, Schwartz served as senior vice president, communications and public affairs, for the National Football League, where he led strategic communications efforts, including executive and internal communications.
Jason Spees M.P.M. ’97 was appointed president, chief commercial officer of Impulse Dynamics, a company offering high-tech therapy for heart failure patients. He was most recently at Biotronik, and before then was executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Preventice Solutions and served in commercial roles at Boston Scientific. Spees was also a captain in the U.S. Air Force and received a B.S. in operations research and engineering from the Air Force Academy.
Tyrone C. Holmes ’96 was named chief inclusion officer at ed tech company Curriculum Associates. He works to advance the company’s antiracism and diversity, equity and inclusion commitments, with a focus on the communities, team members and over 10 million students and educators Curriculum Associates serves.
P. Anthony Sammi ’95 joined Latham and Watkins’ New York office as a partner in the litigation and trial department and as a global vice chair of the intellectual property litigation practice. Sammi is a first chair trial lawyer with extensive experience in tech whose practice includes patent, trade secrets, trademark and copyright matters. Sammi joined Latham from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom in New York. He received his J.D. from Cornell Law School and his B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland.
Victoria Lobley ’93 was appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to serve on the Washington County District Court. Lobley has been a sole practitioner since 2015 under the name Lobley Law Office. She has a general practice with a concentration on criminal defense and family law matters. Prior to starting her own firm, she worked for four years as a partner at Cheeatow and Lobley. She received her J.D. from the University of Baltimore, School of Law and her LL.M. in taxation from the Georgetown University Law Center.
Seema Verma ’93 was elected to the board of directors of LifeStance Health, one of the nation's largest providers of outpatient mental health care. Verma is a leading national health policy expert with over two decades of experience in the healthcare industry. Verma received a B.S. in life sciences from the University of Maryland and a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a concentration in health policy and management from Johns Hopkins University.
Michael “Jarmo” Jarmolowich ’92 was hired as a managing director at PACE Loan Group, a provider of Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing. He held that same title at Stifel Financial Corp.; his experience also includes progressively senior experience at Lehman Brothers, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Hilltop/Southwest Securities. A former NFL player, Jarmolowich has an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Maria Douglas Reeve M.Jour. ’92, managing editor of the Houston Chronicle since November 2019, was named its executive editor. She joined the Chronicle in 2019 from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, where she served in various roles including assistant managing editor of news, assistant features editor and deputy metro editor. She previously worked for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in Saint Paul, Minn. Reeve is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and a past president of the Twin Cities Black Journalists.
Bruce Frank Ph.D. ’91 was named vice president, CDMO operations of Altasciences. Frank has 30 years of experience with product formulation and development. He received a doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Maryland and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Temple University.
Christopher Griffith M.S. ’91 was promoted from chief operating officer to president of KCI, an engineering, consulting and construction firm. Griffith joined KCI in 1997 after serving as an officer in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps. Griffith earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the United States Naval Academy and master’s degrees in business administration, civil engineering and ocean engineering from Boston University, the University of Maryland and the University of Hawaii, respectively.
Utpal Koppikar ’91, chief financial officer of Atara Biotherapeutics, joined the board of directors of Flexion Therapeutics Inc. Before starting at Atara in 2018, he held senior financial leadership positions at Gilead Sciences and Amgen. Koppikar received an M.S. in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Stanford University and holds an MBA in finance and marketing from the Anderson School at UCLA.
Wayne Mackay Ph.D. ’91 was named the 2021 Outstanding Leadership and Administration Award winner by the American Society for Horticultural Science. Mackay leads the Horticulture Department for the University of Arkansas’ Division of Agriculture's two arms. He earned a bachelor's degree in horticulture from Virginia Tech and a master's degree in plant science at the University of Delaware.
Eric N. Schloss ’91, an attorney with Saltzberg & Schloss in Towson, Md., is the 68th president of the Maryland Association for Justice. With 1,200 members, the MAJ is the largest specialty bar association in Maryland. Schloss practices personal injury law in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., representing plaintiffs and claimants.
Troy Fitrell ’90 was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as ambassador to the Republic of Guinea. Fitrell is the director of the Office of West African Affairs at the State Department. He previously served as deputy chief of mission at the U.S. embassies in Ethiopia and Mauritius and also served at the U.S. embassies in Portugal, Guatemala, Zambia, Ghana and Denmark. He holds a master's degree from the National War College.
Luanne Gutermuth MBA ’90 is the new chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She retired last year as executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Washington Gas, and founded LSG Solutions LLC, a small consulting firm helping organizations improve effectiveness and achieve strategic objectives. Earlier this year, she and her husband, Mike, started Good Spirit Farm winery in Loudoun County. She also serves on the boards of Washington Performing Arts and Northern Virginia Family Service.
’80s
Warren E. Moore ’89 was appointed executive vice president, chief operating officer of Inspira Health. Moore has more than 25 years of experience in the health care industry, most recently serving as CEO of Children’s Specialized Hospital. Moore holds a master’s degree in health and human service administration from Rider University.
Robert Waltermire Ph.D. ’89 joined Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing novel therapeutics for cardio-metabolic and fatty liver diseases with high unmet medical need, as chief pharmaceutical development officer. Most recently, Waltermire served as senior vice president CMC at VenatoRx. Waltermire received his B.A. in chemistry from Franklin & Marshall College.
Brenda Freeman ’87, MBA ’91 joined the board of directors of Looking Glass Factory, a producer of holographic light field display technology, and WM Technology Inc., a tech and software provider to the cannabis industry. Freeman has 25 years of executive and marketing experience—she has held lead marketing roles in entertainment companies such as Turner Broadcasting, DreamWorks, National Geographic, Magic Leap and Arteza.
John Fitzgerald ’86, CEO of Magyar Bank, was appointed chair of the New Jersey Bankers Association, which represents 72 banks and 172 service providers. He has been with Magyar Bank since 2001 and has 30 years of experience in the banking industry.
Todd Ehrlich ’86, an executive producer at WCBS-TV, received 2021 New York Emmy nominations for “The 18th Annual Tunnel to Towers Special" in the category of Best News Special and the feature “Operation Smart Home Surprise," nominated in the Military category. Ehrlich has now received 22 Emmy nominations and won four during his career. The Emmy Awards are slated for late September.
Karen Addis ’85 was elected to the national board of directors of CHC: Creating Healthier Communities, a nationwide nonprofit that serves as a catalyst for good health. She is president and CEO of Addis Communications. Addis holds a master’s certificate in publications from The George Washington University.
San Diego County Credit Union President and CEO Teresa Campbell ’85 was honored with a Business Leadership Award at the North San Diego Business Chamber’s annual Celebration of Business event in June. She was selected by independent judges for demonstrating steadfast leadership due to the COVID-19 pandemic along with directing the organization’s ongoing commitment to the San Diego community. In 2020 and 2021, she was selected as one of SD Metro Magazine’s Women of Influence. In 2020, she was named a Business Woman of the Year as well as a San Diego Top 50 Executive by the San Diego Business Journal.
Tom Crawford ’84 joined OceanFirst Bank N.A., the wholly owned subsidiary of OceanFirst Financial Corp., as president of the Baltimore regional market and is leading a team of seasoned commercial bankers to provide financial services to businesses throughout Maryland. Crawford was most recently Mid-Atlantic Market President at BBVA. Crawford has an MBA from the University of Baltimore.
Jim Farrell ’84 joined the Dallas-based SRS Real Estate Partners as senior vice president and market leader for the Charleston, S.C., area. He was previously executive director of leasing and brokerage at McLean, Va.-based Rappaport.
Brian Gibbons ’84, chairman of the board and CEO of Greenberg Gibbons, was named a 2021 Influential Marylander by The Daily Record. Since joining the company in 1998, he has led many of the Baltimore region’s premier developments, including the Village at Waugh Chapel and Waugh Chapel Towne Centre in Anne Arundel County; Hunt Valley Towne Centre, Foundry Row and The Shops at Kenilworth in Baltimore; and Annapolis Towne Center at Parole in Annapolis. He’s currently overseeing the construction of Towson Row and Waldorf Station.
The U.S. Senate confirmed Nellie Liang M.A. ’84, Ph.D. ’86 as the Treasury Department’s undersecretary for domestic finance. Liang, who joined the Federal Reserve as a research economist in 1986, was the founding director of its division of financial stability. She served most recently as a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank.
Chris Kubasik ’83 was named CEO of L3Harris Technologies, a Melbourne, Fla.-based defense and information technology contractor, formed from the merger of Harris Corp. and L3 Technologies Inc. The former president and chief operations officer of Lockheed Martin Corp., Kubasik came to L3 Technologies as president and COO in 2015 and was named its chairman, CEO and president two years later. He helped guide the company from $9.5 billion in net sales to $10.2 billion before negotiating the merger with Harris Corp.
Jose Torres ’83, M.Ed. ’85, Ph.D. ’99 was named interim chief of Chicago Public Schools. Torres recently retired as head of the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora, after six years. Before that, he served for six years as superintendent at Elgin School District U-46, the second-largest school district in Illinois. He also was once a regional superintendent for CPS from 2006-08 and previously held administrative roles in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore and Southern California school districts. He’s also a former teacher and human relations specialist at Montgomery County Public Schools.
W.R. “Chip” Zimmer Ph.D. ’81 wrote the new book “The Battle of the Potomac,” about the century-long football rivalry between Maryland and West Virginia.
David Donnelly ’80 was named dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Muhlenberg College. Donnelly’s higher education experience includes teaching and administrative appointments at the University of Houston, Sarah Lawrence College, Quinnipiac University and the College of New Rochelle. Donnelly earned a Ph.D. and master’s in communication from the University of Massachusetts.
Roxanne Taylor ’80 was appointed to the board of directors of ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy that integrates strategy, design and engineering to drive digital innovation. She is the chief marketing and communications officer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She serves as a director of Whalar, Pure Storage, OpenX and Fyllo. Taylor also serves on the board of Reporters Without Borders and the U.S. chapter of Reporters Sans Frontières. Taylor has been named one of Forbes’ “World’s Most Influential CMOs,” included in FierceCMO’s “B2B CMOs to Watch,” and selected for a Changing the Game Award by the Advertising Women of New York (now called She Runs It).
’70s
Margaret Nagle ’78, senior director of public relations at the University of Maine, is the recipient of the 2021 Steve Gould Award for demonstrating superior qualities of unselfishness and compassion in service to the university and its ideals.
Gov. Larry Hogan appointed Hugh J. Breslin III ’77 to serve on the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. He is a media and management consultant who served as general manager at WDVM-TV in Hagerstown (formerly WHAG-TV) until 2018. He previously was chairman of the Washington Co. Economic Development Commission and president of the Mason-Dixon Council of Boy Scouts.
Pamela Gore ’77 was appointed a member of the state board of registration for professional geologists by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Gore is a professor of geology at Georgia State University, Perimeter College. She serves as vice president of the Atlanta Geological Society, and is a member of the Geological Society of America, Georgia Geological Society, National Association of Geoscience Teachers, Georgia Academy of Sciences, Georgia Science Teachers Association and the Georgia Mineral Society.
Stephen Ambrose ’76 was appointed to the new role of chief climate scientist at Science Applications International Corp. He has more than 40 years of experience working in science and technology at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior and the private sector.
Richard A. Duschl ’74, Ph.D. ’83 was elected to the National Academy of Education and received the NARST Fellows Award. He is the executive director of Caruth Institute for Engineering Education and Texas Instruments and a distinguished professor at the Southern Methodist University Lyle School of Engineering.
Deni Elliott ’74, a media ethicist who has taught journalism at USF St. Petersburg since 2003, became the campus’ interim vice provost and regional associate vice chancellor of academic affairs. Before coming to the university in 2003, she taught at Utah State University, Dartmouth College and the University of Montana. She earned a master’s in philosophy from Wayne State University and a doctorate from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.
Gerald Boarman ’70, M.A. ’77 was named deputy head of school at Springdale Preparatory School in New Windsor, Md. He most recently served as president and head of school at the Bullis School in Potomac, Md., and before that as chancellor of North Carolina School of Sciences and Mathematics, and as assistant principal and principal at a variety of Prince George’s County public schools.
’60s
Francesco Da Vinci ’68 is the author of “I Refuse to Kill: My Path to Nonviolence in the '60s,” which focuses on the civil rights and peace movements and includes Da Vinci’s own personal story as a nonviolent activist.
Mary Anne Goley ’67 wrote the book “Democracy’s Medici: The Federal Reserve and the Art of Collecting,” a profile of the central bank seen from her unique perspective as founding director of the Fine Arts Program of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. During her 31-year tenure, Goley organized over 110 exhibitions on a range of subjects from New York graffiti artists to the first U.S. exhibit of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
Passings
Jean M. Baxter Ph.D. ’88 died on May 22 at age 96 at the Piper Shores Retirement Community in Scarborough, Maine. She was born in Arlington, Mass., and earned a master’s degree in art history from American University and a doctoral degree from the University of Maryland. In 1985, she moved to Portland, Maine, where she taught at the University of Southern Maine. She is survived by her children, Grace, Gary and Anne Baxter and Rebecca Owen; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a brother.
William Levenson ’83 died April 29 from esophageal cancer. He played an instrumental role in the space industry and successfully launched over 100 Atlas and Delta rockets. His passions included aviation flying, diving, motorcycling, hiking and sailing. He is survived by his father, his wife and five siblings.
Karen Jean Norman M.Ed. ’80 died on July 1. She was born Jan. 6, 1952, in Jasper, Ind., daughter of Leon and Betty (Blandford) Epple. Norman attended Jasper High School, earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Evansville, and master’s degrees from UMD and Marymount University. During her long career in the federal government, Norman worked for the Internal Revenue Service, the Coast Guard, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and most recently for the Department of Defense. She enjoyed spending time with her family, loved traveling and did so extensively, and was a member of Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church. She is survived by her husband of 47 years, Marshall Norman; daughter Leesa Mayfield; son Matthew Norman; two grandchildren; and five younger siblings.
Timothy D. O'Hare ’79 died at his Los Angeles home on May 5 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 65. O’Hare attended Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair, N.J., where he was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football), earning a football scholarship to the University of Maryland. After a four-year wait he seized his opportunity to start at quarterback, leading the Terps to a 9-3 record and a Sun Bowl appearance. At UMD, O’Hare discovered a love of theater. Over a three-decade career, he performed and directed extensively, He is survived by his wife, Melissa Hanson-O’Hare; son, Declan; sister, Nora Martin; brothers, Sean, Michael, Tommy and Dennis; two aunts; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
Nicki Y. Noel ’78 of Lanham, Md., died on June 18 at the University of Maryland Medical Center after battling ovarian cancer. She was born July 22, 1956, in Chambersburg, Pa., the eldest daughter of W. Theodore Noel and the late Anna L. (Diehl) Noel. Noel was a 1974 graduate of DuVal High School and earned an education degree at UMD. She worked for the National Geographic Society and the U.S. Postal Service, from which she retired. She attended the Shippensburg First Church of God, where she volunteered in the preschool Flicker Sunday school class. She also supported the Samaritan’s Purse ministry, and made it her goal to pack at least 50 boxes each year for Operation Christmas Child. She also spent many summers on her family’s farm in Shippensburg and relished those memories with her extended family. Noel is survived by her sisters, Shirley M. Noel and Diane C. Pinchen, and one niece.
William Mahlon Purdin Jr. ’72, a longtime resident of Marblehead, Minn., died on July 15 after battling colon cancer. He was 73. Born in St. Paul to William Mahlon Purdin Sr. and Ida Katherine DeWitt Purdin, he and his family moved several times before arriving in Marblehead when Purdin was about 10. His father made one last career move to New York, and he graduated in 1965 from Stamford High School in Connecticut. He was admitted to the University of Connecticut at Storrs, but interrupted college to join the U.S. Navy. He spent two tours of duty on the river patrol boats in Vietnam and was honorably discharged. He finished his undergraduate degree at UMD and pursued a doctorate in political science with a concentration in Russian studies at the University of Indiana. Purdin worked at Hood Sailmakers, the Marblehead Messenger and The New York Times in advertising sales before starting Marblehead Magazine as well as his advertising agency, Legend, Inc. He found an audience for his poetry on www.pathetic.org, and self-published his utopian science fiction trilogy, beginning with "The Rise of Farson Uiost." An avid swimmer, Purdin was a member of the JCC and the YMCA for most of his life. He also loved playing golf and was a member of Tedesco Golf Club. He took up skydiving at the age of 54 and taught skydiving for 10 years. He won re-election to Marblehead’s Board of Selectmen nine years in a row and was a member of the committee to organize Marblehead's 350th celebration. He is survived by his wife, Joy, and their daughter, Blythe. He was predeceased by his sisters, Judith Purdin Pyart and Marcia Purdin Ordway.
H. Edwin “Ed” Lanehart ’58, M.A. ’77, a retired Baltimore County Public Schools physical education instructor and school official who was a bodybuilder and champion tenpins bowler, died on Aug. 9 at his home in Ellicott City. He was 86. Lanehart, son of George W. Lanehart and Georgianna Taylor Lanehart, was born in Baltimore. Lanehart’s lifelong interest in physical fitness began early in his life. He began weightlifting when he was 14 and was an acclaimed wrestler who was undefeated his senior year at Southern High School, from which he graduated in 1954. As a bodybuilder, he won numerous titles, including Mr. Maryland in 1956, Mr. Baltimore three years later, and Mr. Free State in 1969. He was named Mr. Maryland Over 35 in 1973. During his 32-year career with BCPS, Lanehart was a physical education instructor at Pikesville, Campfield, Woodmoor, Hebbville and Lansdowne elementary schools. In 1972, he was named supervisor of elementary physical education and assigned to the system’s central office, where he worked in curriculum development and mentored physical education instructors. That year, he was recognized as the Maryland State Teacher of the Year. Lanehart had been a duckpin bowler until he started to bowl tenpins when he was in his 40s, and honed his skills several days a week at Normandy Lanes in Ellicott City. His championship bowling earned him a roomful of trophies, medals and ribbons. He qualified several times for the National Senior Olympics bowling tournaments. He was also active with the Maryland Senior Olympics Commission and helped to promote bowling as part of a healthy lifestyle for seniors. Lanehart was also an accomplished Dixieland banjo and ukulele player. He also enjoyed singing in the choir of Immanuel United Church of Christ in Catonsville, where he was an active member. He was the founder of a musical entertainment business called A Salute to Great Gentlemen of Song and traveled to senior centers, retirement communities and nursing homes where he performed the music of Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and other artists who make up the Great American Songbook. His wife of 49 years, the former Jacquelyn Lee “Jackie” Collins, died in 2007. In addition to his daughters, Lanehart is survived by three grandchildren.
Burton R. Evans M.Ed. ’55, Ph.D. ’58 died on May 1 in Atlanta. He was 91. Evans was born in Harvey, Ill., the son of the late Burton Webb Evans and the late Ruth Carlson Evans. Evans was a U.S. Navy veteran and served as a medical corpsman during the Korean War. He received his master’s degree in education and his Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Maryland, in addition to degrees from Millikin University in Decatur, Ill., and Tulane University. He retired as a scientist director of the U.S. Public Health Service. In addition to his parents, he is preceded by a sister, Joan Evans Mullen. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Jennifer Mann Evans; children, Robert Evans, Will Evans, Jennifer Anne Cornelius and Tim Evans; and five grandchildren.
John Charles LaBerge ’53 died on May 10 at his home in the Birchaven Heights retirement community in Findlay, Ohio. He was 91 and a proud Terp, who participated at UMD graduations as a Golden Terp in honor of the 55th, 60th and 65th anniversaries of his graduation.
Dr. Harold R. Weiss ’52 died on June 28 at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center. He was 91. Dr. Weiss, son of August Weiss and Verna Weiss, was born in Baltimore. After graduating in 1947 from Polytechnic Institute, he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1950 from the University of Maryland, College Park. In 1954, he obtained his medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He completed a residency at the University of Maryland in 1956, and then joined the Navy. A medical officer, he was stationed at the naval submarine base in New London, Conn. He was discharged in 1958 with the rank of lieutenant. While stationed in New London, he met and fell in love with the former Matilda L. Watrous, a Navy secretary, whom he married in 1957. After leaving the Navy, he completed a residency in orthopedics in 1959 at Grace New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Conn., and a second residency in 1960 at Newington Children’s Hospital in Newington, Conn. In 1961, he and his wife moved to Baltimore, where he established a private practice as an orthopedic surgeon. He also worked as an emergency room physician at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center for many years, until retiring in 1985. Dr. Weiss enjoyed playing tennis, hiking, skiing and climbing. Other interests included Central and South American archaeology, birds of prey, learning foreign languages, painting, wood carving and exotic plants. Dr. Weiss was a longtime member of First English Lutheran Church in Guilford. His wife died in 2017. He is survived by two sons, Robert A. Weiss and Austin A. Weiss; and seven grandchildren.
James W. Kirkpatrick ’44 died on July 10. Kirkpatrick was born on Nov. 10, 1922, in Cumberland, Md., to James Kirkpatrick and Elizabeth Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick attended Allegany High School and graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. He married Marion "Mary Anne" Jeannette Fitzgerald on July 14, 1944. Central to Kirkpatrick's life was the First Baptist Church of Olean that he and Mary Anne joined in 1947. He remained an active member of the church and church community throughout his life. Kirkpatrick's professional career began in 1944 at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (which eventually became NASA) as a research engineer. Kirkpatrick served as a board member for the Olean YMCA, St. Francis Hospital, the local Economic Development Zone, St. Bonaventure University, and many other local community groups and boards. In 1992, he was awarded the Olean Chamber of Commerce's "Louie" award and was honored with a "Key to the City." Kirkpatrick enjoyed spending his leisure time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also enjoyed his rose garden, woodworking and wood carving. In the early 2000s he restored his uncle's 1930 Austin (his uncle bought the car new in 1930), and the restored vehicle won at several Eastern U.S. antique car shows before being donated to the Northeast Classic Car Museum of Norwich, N.Y. In addition to his wife, Mary Anne, Kirkpatrick is survived by his children, G. Douglas Kirkpatrick, Ruth A. Leonard and Gerald L Kirkpatrick; three grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Kirkpatrick was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Virginia (Horner).
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