Class Notes
’20s
Pranav Desai M.E. ’20 was promoted from senior vice president of product innovation to chief product officer at Reputation, a company specializing in reputation experience management. Previously, he was a group product manager for Verint’s Customer Experience Business Unit and held product roles at Spirent Communications and Patton Electronics. He holds an undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of Mumbai.
Dr. Patricia Turner MBA ’20 was promoted to executive director of the American College of Surgeons after 10 years as its director of member services. She previously spent eight years on the faculty of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, serving as the surgery residency program director and medical director of the surgical acute care unit. She is currently on the faculty in the department of surgery at the University of Chicago. Turner is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and earned her doctoral degree from Wake Forest University. Turner serves on the boards of directors of the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and OceanFirst Bank. She also chairs the ACS delegation to the American Medical Association house of delegates.
’10s
Dr. Trishna Goswami MBA ’17 was named chief medical officer of IN8bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative gamma-delta T cell therapies. Goswami, a triple board-certified hematologist oncologist, most recently served as vice president, clinical development at Gilead Sciences. She earned her M.D. from Drexel University and completed her postgraduate training in internal medicine and hematology/oncology at Georgetown University Hospital.
Megan J. Heiman M.Jour. ’14 was appointed deputy mayor of Binghamton, N.Y. She has worked in City Hall since 2017 as the assistant to the mayor for neighborhood and youth affairs. Before that, she was a newspaper reporter for the Press & Sun-Bulletin in Binghamton and the Capital Gazette in Annapolis. She has a bachelor’s degree in English, literature and rhetoric from Binghamton University.
Ted Kaouk Ph.D. ’14 joined the Office of Personnel Management as its chief data officer and deputy director for human capital data management and modernization. He was previously with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and chaired the federal CDO Council. He earned his bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Naval Academy and master’s degree from the University of Virginia.
Aaron Sporck MBA ’14 was appointed by Huntington to lead middle market banking and support the company's continued growth in West Virginia. Sporck previously served 20 years in public service and most recently as director of economic development for U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.). Sporck is also a graduate of Furman University.
Britt Waters ’13 joined 7News/WJLA-TV as a traffic reporter and “Good Morning Washington” lifestyle host.
Rexanah Wyse ’10 married Eric Morrissette on Aug. 21 at the Mansion at Strathmore in Rockville, Md., according to The New York Times. Wyse is the chief of staff of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.
’00s
Katie Donahue MPM ’09 was hired as the city of Fort Collins’ Natural Areas Department director. Since 2016, Donahue has served as the district ranger for the Canyon Lakes Ranger District on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland. Donahue has a bachelor of arts in international studies and economics from American University.
Rachel Muñoz ’09 was appointed by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to represent District 33 in the House of Delegates. Muñoz is an attorney with Schulte Booth LLC, specializing in aviation law and is working toward her private pilot’s license. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Sabrina Teichman ’09 joined AF Capital’s advisory board. She is founder and principal of Strategie, a boutique management consulting firm that provides strategic advisory and consulting services to clients operating at the intersection of public, private and philanthropic interests. Teichman holds a master’s degree in international business and policy from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and McDonough School of Business.
Brian Thompson MBA ’09 was named vice president and general manager for the intelligence mission solutions business unit at Peraton, a Herndon, Va.-based technology company. He came to Peraton from Leidos Holdings, where he served as senior vice president and operations manager helping oversee its intelligence business.
Andrea Magers ’08 was appointed to the board of directors of the Howard County Arts Council. She is the agent/owner of Andrea Magers State Farm Insurance and a third-generation State Farm agent.
John T. McBride ’08 joined the Stoel Rives Real Estate group, where his practice involves a range of real estate matters, including leasing, financing, acquisition, disposition and development. He received his J.D. with honors from the George Washington University Law School in 2021.
Cara Lewis ’07 was appointed to the Carroll County District Court by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. She was special counsel to the county’s State Attorney’s Office. She received her J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Matthew Bosley ’06 was named to the 2021 Forbes Top Next-Generation Wealth Advisors List. He is senior vice president and wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch.
Christina Billiet ’05 was promoted to managing partner of civil litigation defense firm Waranch & Brown in Maryland. Billiet has spent her career at Waranch & Brown, where she has successfully tried cases as lead counsel in the district and circuit courts of Maryland as well as the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
František Brabec Ph.D. ’05 won second place in NASA’s Space Robotics Challenge, a multi-year virtual competition. Brabec was awarded $125,000 at a Sept. 28 awards ceremony at Johnson Space Center in Houston. The challenge asked teams to develop a software solution that would allow multiple robots to operate autonomously on the surface of the Moon and find, excavate and transport critical resources needed by future astronauts on lunar in-situ resource utilization missions.
Steve Eigenbrot ’05 was promoted to deputy athletics director at the University of South Carolina. In his 12th year at South Carolina, Eigenbrot has served in various fundraising roles within Gamecock Athletics, most recently as executive associate athletics director for development and CEO of the Gamecock Club. He has master's degrees in sport administration and business administration from Ohio University and a doctorate from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in higher education leadership.
Kerrin Klein ’05 was promoted to counsel at Olshan Frome Wolosky in New York City. She received her J.D. from New York University, where she served on the NYU Review of Law & Social Change, and her B.S. from the University of Maryland, summa cum laude.
Randy Guttman ’04 was promoted to general partner, chief operating officer at JMI Equity, a growth equity firm focused on investing in leading software companies. He was previously general partner.
Charles Joyce ’04 joined the New York City headquarters of Syska Hennessy as a senior associate, overseeing evaluations of existing fire protection and life safety systems, the design of new systems and system testing.
Susan K. Johnson O’Neil Ph.D. ’04 was named principal at talent strategy and development firm Cambria Consulting. Previously, she was the director of the Center of Excellence, Organizational Effectiveness & Design for Bon Secours Mercy Health System. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation and European Mentoring & Coaching Council Global and holds certifications from the Global Team Coaching Institute. She has an M.A. from Virginia Tech and a B.A. from Roanoke College; all three of her degrees are in English literature.
Eric Walter ’04, M.RED ’10 was promoted to president of Baltimore County-based development firm Greenberg Gibbons. Walter previously served as its executive vice president and chief investment officer.
Kevin Davis ’02, ’07 was promoted to member of the law firm Caplin and Drysdale. His principal practice area is complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on creditors' rights and bankruptcy litigation.
Christopher Jeschke ’02 was named chief technology officer of Accumulus Synergy, a nonprofit working to develop an information and data exchange platform aimed at transforming how drug innovators and health authorities worldwide interact. He came from cybersecurity company Protenus, where he served as the CTO. Jeschke holds bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science from UMD and Johns Hopkins, respectively, the latter with honors and a special focus on data science and AI.
Jeff Silberman ’01 joined global law firm Morrison & Foerster as a partner in its FinTech and Financial Services groups. Previously, Silberman served as global co-chair of the FinTech practice at another leading international firm. He earned his J.D. cum laude from New York Law School, where he served as associate editor of The New York Law School Law Review.
Nathan Moody ’00, M.S. ’04, Ph.D. ’06 was elected a fellow of the American Physical Society. He is a technical staff member and group leader of the Applied Electrodynamics group within Accelerator Operations and Technology division at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Dominic Travis M.S. ’00 joined the Marine Mammal Center, the world’s largest marine mammal hospital, as chief program officer. He spent the last 11 years as a tenured associate professor and faculty member at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine. He received his master’s degree in aquatic animal health focused on marine ecology from the University of Maryland and his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Michigan State University.
’90s
Karla Heidelberg Ph.D. ’99 received Maryville College’s alumni citation as part of its Founder’s Day celebration. The Alumni Citation is for service in professional, business, civic, social or religious endeavors that have benefited humankind and brought honor to the college, or for unusual service in any capacity on behalf of the college. Heidelberg, a 1988 graduate of the college, became an AAAS Science Policy Fellow for the U.S. State Department in the Office of Oceans Affairs. She joined the J. Craig Venter Institute, then the faculty of the University of Southern California in 2006, and she is now a program director in the Office of Polar Programs at the National Science Foundation.
Grant Newman ’99, M.S. ’00 was appointed chief financial officer at Elroy Air, an aerospace and logistics company. He recently served as senior vice president, strategy and corporate development at Era Group. In addition to his UMD degrees, he earned an MBA from Duke University.
Peggy Cruz ’98 was appointed chair of Anne Arundel County’s Joint Commission on the Opportunity Gap. Cruz is the county Department of Health Bureau of School Health and Support program supervisor for the Old Mill/Northeast clusters. In this position, she supports the health room staff in implementing comprehensive health care services for students.
Brian Piper MBA ’98 was appointed chief financial officer of Scorpion Therapeutics, an oncology company. Piper is a veteran biotech financial executive with over 25 years of experience, including serving as chief financial officer at two publicly traded biotech companies. Prior to Scorpion, he served as chief financial officer at Prelude Therapeutics. Piper received his B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.
Donald Welch Ph.D. ’98 was named vice president for information technology and global university chief information officer at New York University. He was previously vice president for Information Technology and chief information officer at Penn State. Welch received a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a master of science degree in computer science from California Polytechnic State University.
Bahareh Kamali ’97 was promoted to executive vice president of strategic development at MTV Entertainment Group. She previously served as senior vice president of strategic development.
Erek L. Barron ’96 was sworn in as the 49th United States attorney for the District of Maryland. Barron was most recently a partner in a law firm in Maryland, with a focus on complex business and criminal litigation. Barron received his law degree from George Washington University and an advanced law degree, focused on international and national security law, from Georgetown University.
Alka Bhave ’96, M.S. ’98 was promoted to chief operations officer of Riverside Research. Bhave joined the company in 2021 as vice president and chief of staff. Previously, Bhave was vice president of performance excellence at Perspecta and Peraton.
Denise Brinely M.S. ’96 joined TRC Companies, a digitally powered and environmentally focused global professional services firm, as vice president of strategic growth and client engagement. Previously, Brinley served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Office of Energy and has also held other executive leadership positions in government agencies over the last decade. Brinley received her B.A. in geosciences at Franklin and Marshall College.
Farida Mohamedshah ’96 joined the National Confectioners Association as senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs. Before joining NCA, he was the director of food, health and nutrition at the Institute of Food Technologists. Mohamedshah has a B.S. in home economics and an M.S. in textile chemistry and clothing from the University of Bombay.
Andrew Weiner ’96 joined the Washington, D.C., office of law firm Miles & Stockbridge as a principal in the insurance recovery group. He was most recently a partner in the D.C. office of Reed Smith LLP and earned his law degree at the University of Virginia.
Brion W. Murray Ph.D. ’94 was appointed senior vice president of research at Lengo Therapeutics. Prior to that, he was vice president, cancer biology and translational research at Turning Point Therapeutics. At Pfizer, he was a research fellow and contributed to the discovery and/or development of six FDA-approved oncology drugs. He serves as a senior editor for the American Association of Cancer Research journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics and is a founding member of the chemical biology division of the Faculty of 1000 (now Faculty Opinions). He received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Scripps Research Institute.
President Biden nominated Indian American magistrate judge Errol Rajesh Arthur ’94 to be an associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Arthur has served in the Criminal Division, Domestic Violence Division and Family Court, and he is presiding magistrate judge and serves on the chief judge’s judicial leadership team. From 2002-10, Arthur was a solo practitioner and then a named partner at Arthur & Arthur, PLLC, and he previously was a staff attorney at the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia. He received his law degree from Howard University.
Daniel K. Wims Ph.D. ’94 became the 12th president of Alabama A&M University. He had served as its provost and vice president for academic affairs and research, as well as professor of agricultural sciences. He also held positions at Fort Valley State University, South Carolina State, Florida A&M, Alcorn State and Southern University. Wims earned his bachelor’s degree in agronomy from the Fort Valley State University and a master’s degree from the Ohio State University.
Delmar Gillus Jr. ’93 was appointed to the Future of Work task force by Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker. For over 10 years, he has served as the chief operations officer of Elevate, an organization that ensures equitable access to utilities in homes and communities. Gillus received his MBA from Loyola University Chicago.
Nicole Bouknight Johnson ’93 was selected to serve as Hudson County Community College’s inaugural vice president for advancement and communications. Most recently, Johnson served as national director of development and communications for the nonprofit A Better Chance, which increases access to premier college preparatory schools for talented students of color. She holds a master’s degree in college student personnel from Miami University and is an alum of the American Express Leadership Academy for nonprofit executives of promise.
Marcos Nogués ’93 was named chief investment officer of First Merchants Corp. Previously, Nogués worked at Oxford Financial Group, Mirador Family Wealth Advisors, Bank of America, Lasalle Bank and ABN AMRO Private Investment in Chicago. He earned a master’s of finance degree from Universidad Del Cema in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his MBA from the University of Chicago. Nogués is a chartered financial analyst and member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Chicago.
Dax Alvarez ’92 relocated from the Los Angeles office of the law firm Snell & Wilmer to its Reno, Nev., location. Alvarez is a member of the intellectual property practice group. He earned his J.D. from the Catholic University of America.
Kimberly Boulmetis ’92 was hired as a managing director and head of U.S. financial institutions for the Debt Capital Markets group at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, based in New York. She has 25 years of experience covering the capital markets and financial institutions at a range of other firms including BTIG, J.P. Morgan, Oppenheimer & Co., Bear Stearns and The Bank of New York. Boulmetis earned a J.D. from the Rutgers School of Law.
Byron Breland ’92, M.S. ’96 was appointed chancellor of the North Orange County (Calif.) Community College District. Breland previously served as chancellor of the San Jose–Evergreen Community College District. He holds a master’s degree in education and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Southern California.
Terrence M. Sawyer ’92, M.S. ’96 was named Loyola University Maryland’s 25th president. He was previously Loyola’s senior vice president. Sawyer is the university’s first layperson to serve as president; all of his predecessors were ordained Jesuit priests. He started at Loyola in 1998 as special assistant to the president for government and community relations. Sawyer graduated from the Widener University School of Law and completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Institute for Educational Management program.
Tom Wilson ’92 was elected corporate vice president and president, space systems at Northrop Grumman. Wilson joined Northrop Grumman in 2018 with the acquisition of Orbital ATK, after serving with Orbital ATK and ATK since 2001.
Marcos Ballestero ’91 joined Crosby Marketing Communications as vice president, digital creative director. Most recently, he was a vice president, creative director with Qorvis MSLGroup in Washington, D.C., and held similar positions with Weber Shandwick, Ketchum and the NIH Cancer Institute.
Scott Nance ’91 joined boutique lobbying and consulting firm A1.9 Strategies as vice president. He served for nearly two decades on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, including as its staff director from 2017-21.
Daria Van Liew ’91, chief of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, East Campus Integrated Program Office, is the recipient of the 2021 Engineer of the Year Award.
Joel Vilmenay ’90 was hired as general manager of KCBS-TV Channel 2 and KCAL-TV Channel 9 in Los Angeles. Vilmenay has spent two decades with Hearst Television, including as president and general manager of its NBC affiliate in New Orleans, WDSU-TV Channel 6, since 2007.
’80s
Michael Genhart Ph.D. ’89 has two new picture books: “May Your Life Be Deliciosa” from Cameron Kids/Abrams and “They’re So Flamboyant” from Magination Press.
Shaun Eddy ’88 joined the board of directors of the Howard Community College Educational Foundation. Eddy is the owner and CEO of Oxford Planning Group.
Sandra Morris Kemp ’88 wrote the book “The Journey for Justice,” published by Christian Faith Publishing, which explores the injustices faced by enslaved African Americans in Surry County, Va., and their descendants and highlights their contributions.
Moon Kim ’88, Ph.D. ’99 is one of two recipients of the federal government’s Meritorious Senior Professional Award. Kim is a research leader for the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service’s Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Lab in Beltsville, Md.
Scott White ’88 was named director of sales for Teneo Hospitality Group. Most recently, White was director of global sales at PRA, a destination management company with 29 offices across the U.S. White holds an MBA from Clemson University.
Monica Norton ’87 was promoted to deputy managing editor of The Washington Post, where she had been deputy Local editor for planning and enterprise since 2011. Since her arrival at The Post in 2005, Monica has also served as Metro’s day editor, technology editor and assistant Maryland editor for education. In previous roles at Newsday, she edited Washington news and served as assistant and then deputy Long Island editor. Before that, she was a bureau chief and assignment editor at Gannett Suburban Newspapers and a reporter at The Evening Sun and The Baltimore Sun.
Stephanie Turco-Williams ’87 was appointed special advisor to Libya by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. She will lead mediation efforts and engagements with Libyan regional and international stakeholders to pursue implementation of the three intra-Libyan dialogue tracks—political, security and economic—and support the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya.
Max Peterson ’84, MBA ’86 was named vice president of the worldwide public sector unit at Amazon Web Services. He was previously vice president of international sales for the sector.
Hilary Bradley ’83 joined Associa Community Management Corp. as business development director. Bradley founded her own marketing and event agency that provides strategy, implementation and project management services.
Justin Caramango ’83 was appointed to the Great Bay Stewards Board of Trustees. The principal of the Law Offices of Justin Caramagno, P.A. in Portsmouth, N.H., he is a past recipient of the New Hampshire Bar’s “Rockingham County Pro Bono Attorney of the Year” award and an active member of the New Hampshire Bar Association’s Reduced Legal Fee program. He earned his law degree from Tulane University.
Mark Ciardi ’83 joined sports content studio game1 as president and chief content officer. Ciardi has produced many sports-oriented films, including “Secretariat,” “Miracle,” “Invincible,” “The Rookie,” “McFarland USA” and “Million Dollar Arm.”
Maj. Gregory T. Douds ’83 was promoted to deputy staff judge advocate of the Georgia State Defense Force, an all-volunteer military branch of the Georgia Department of Defense that focuses on search and rescue, disaster relief, and National Guard support operations. Douds served as an assistant staff judge advocate since 2014, mainly supporting the Georgia Army National Guard’s Legal Assistance program. Douds has been chief associate judge of the Cherokee County, Gia., Magistrate Court since 2009.
Gabriel Escobar M.A. ’83, editor and senior vice president of The Philadelphia Inquirer, was elected to the Pulitzer Prize board. He spent 16 years at The Washington Post and while at the Inquirer has worked as managing editor, deputy managing editor for Metro and assistant managing editor for news. Escobar also worked at The Hartford Courant, The Philadelphia Daily News and The Dallas Morning News. Escobar has a B.A. in creative writing from Queens College, CUNY.
Hugh Grunden ’82 was a 2021 Daily Record Icon Honors award honoree. He has worked at Easton Utilities since 1983 and served as president and CEO since 1994. He also serves in an advisory role for M&T Bank and The Country School. In addition, Grunden was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force for Rural Internet, Broadband and Cellular Service. Grunden earned a Master’s of Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University and is a registered professional engineer in Maryland.
Steven Lehrer ’82 joined the board of advisors of BioHarvest Sciences. He is a member of the University of Maryland’s Bioengineering Department Advisory Board and sits on the board of directors for two life science companies. Previously, Lehrer was head of biologicals at Cipla Ltd., CEO of Cipla BioTec, president of Glycominds Ltd, executive vice president of Adamas Pharmaceuticals, CEO of GeneOs Ltd., CEO at DNA Sciences and division president of Monsanto. Lehrer has a master’s degree from Harvard University.
Clay Siegall ’82 was appointed chair of the board of directors of Umoja Biopharma. He serves as president and chief executive officer of Seagen, which he co-founded in 1998 to develop antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer. Prior to founding Seagen, Siegall held numerous leadership positions at Bristol Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute and the National Cancer Institute. Siegall holds a Ph.D. in genetics from George Washington University.
Phyllis Caldwell ’81, MBA ’87 was elected to the board of directors of Oaktee Specialty Lending. She is founder and has served since 2012 as managing member of Wroxton Civic Ventures, which provides advisory services on financial, housing and economic development matters. Previously, Caldwell was chief homeownership preservation officer at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Roxanne Taylor ’80 was elected to the board of directors of Unisys Corp., an information technology company. Taylor serves as chief marketing and communications officer for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
’70s
Renee Bellamy-Booth ’79 was appointed to the board of directors of Vishay Intertechnology, manufacturer of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components. He has served since 1999 as president of Leadership Solutions, a human resources consulting firm. Booth received a M.S. and Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from the Pennsylvania State University.
Tim Kurkijan ’78 is the 2022 winner of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s Career Excellence Award. He is a longtime writer and ESPN analyst covering Major League Baseball. Kurkjian previously covered the MLB for the Dallas Morning News, The Baltimore Sun and Sports Illustrated. He's also written three books, most recently in 2016.
Marc Schneebaum ’76 joined Avalyn Pharma, a biopharmaceutical company focused on development of improved therapies for pulmonary diseases, as chief financial officer. Most recently, he was senior vice president and chief financial officer of Madrigal Pharmaceuticals.
Christine Edwards ’74 received the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. Edwards, a 1983 Carey graduate, is a recently retired partner and chair of the bank regulatory practice at Winston & Strawn in Chicago. She began her career at Morgan Stanley, where she became the first female general counsel on Wall Street. She was executive vice president and chief legal counsel at Bank One before moving to Winston & Strawn from 2003-21. She recently joined a woman-owned firm, Red Bee Group Consulting, and serves as a consultant to public company boards of directors, CEOs and chief legal officers.
John Ferrara ’73 was appointed to the board of directors of SCWorrx. Since 2017, he has been a partner at CFO Performance Partners. He was previously CFO of Wild Sky Media, CFO of Cartesian and CFO of The Street Inc. Ferrara is a CPA and has an MBA in finance from Columbia University.
’60s
Velma Speight M.Ed. ’65, Ph.D. ’76 will be honored with a building named after her at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees. She is also a former chairwoman of the N.C. A&T board of trustees. Speight also served as the university’s director of alumni affairs from 1993-97. The university celebrated her in 2006 with an honorary doctorate of humanities.
Passings
Julia Clark Downs ’91 died on Oct. 5, 2021, in Taos, N.M., after her car was struck by another motorist at high speed. Downs was born on May 25, 1978, in Evanston, Ill., to Emilie and Clark Downs. She grew up in Chevy Chase, Md., and studied English literature and Spanish at UMD, and studied in Budapest, beginning her broad international travels. Downs worked at the Institute of International Education and the Landmine Survivors Network, then as a Peace Corps volunteer in Panama, which led to her starting a campaign to enhance awareness for other Peace Corps members on issues such as HIV/AIDS, sexual health and gender equality. Downs earned a law degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and worked as an assistant district attorney, public defender and senior assistant. She was preceded in death by her partner, Karl Jurisson, and is survived by her son, Gavin; her parents, Emilie and Clark; and her sister, Morgan O’Donnell.
Donald Lee Deardorff II ’90, 54, of Xenia, Ohio, died on Oct. 22, 2021. Born in Providence, R.I., on Oct. 1, 1967, to Donald L. Deardorff and Dorothy Ann Frizzell Deardoff, he earned his B.A. from Gettysburg College, his M.A. from the University of Maryland and his Ph.D. from the University of Rhode Island. Deardoff was an author of several books and taught literature and writing at Cedarville University for 25 years. He was a member of Dayton Avenue Baptist Church, where he was remembered for integrating his faith in Jesus into literature and cultural studies. Deardoff is survived by his wife of 31 years, Julie; his Shih Tzu dog; children Chester and Lucy; his father, Don Sr.; stepmother Patty McAllister; his brother, Randy; and his sister, Susan.
Mohammed Allieu Abdullah Ph.D. ’84 died on Oct. 26, 2021, at age 75 in Dayton, Ohio. Born on Feb. 13, 1946, to Dr. Aileu Sheikh Abdullah and Haja Mariatu Wahid, he grew up in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Abdullah received a B.A. from Indiana University, a M.P.A. from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in political science from UMD. He is survived by his children, Haron Abdullah, Abdul-Kaba, Kazem and Mariatu Abdullah Swayne, as well as one grandson.
Mary Giddens Washington McCray Ph.D. ’80 died on Oct. 24, 2021. She was born on Jan. 13, 1930, in Jamesville, Va., and received an associate degree from the Norfolk Division of Virginia State College B.S. and M.S. degrees in home economics and elementary education from Norfolk State University; and a Ph.D. in education, supervision and administration from UMD. McCray worked as a home economics teacher in public schools for 13 years, then an assistant professor of home economics at Virginia State University, before moving to work at Howard University as an assistant professor in the Department of Consumer Education and Resource Management. At Howard, she helped reaccrediate the school of human ecology and worked as a principal investigator on a six-year USDA regional project on the status of the elderly. McCray was also a member of Zion Baptist Church, where she served as a missionary. She is survived by her daughters, Annise W. Muschette and Gilda W. Warren, six godchildren, four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 17 years, Ananias C. Washington; parents Severn and Elnora Giddens; and siblings Severn, Ernest, Floyd, Jeroline, Nelson and Frank.
Donald V. Fellers Jr. ’78 of Southport, N.C., died on Nov. 13, 2021. Fellers was born on Sept. 17, 1952, in Waco, Texas, to the late Donald Vonrow Fellers Sr. and Betty Marie Dillow Fellers. Fellers graduated from Frederick High School in Maryland and UMD, then served in the U.S. Air Force, from which he retired in 2013 as a squadron deputy director after 30 years. During his time in the Air Force, he coached basketball teams that won base-level and European championships. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Wanda; children Jason, Adam and Mandy Hinton; sister Terri Shelton; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his sister, Cindy Evey.
Norman W. Nightingale Ed.D. ’78 died on Dec. 31, 2021, at age 87. He was born on March 2, 1934, in Lonaconing, Md., to the late William W. Nightingale and Alice (Johnson) Nightingale. He spent two years working at the B&O Railroad prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. After his honorable discharge from the Army, he spent nine years in the Maryland Army Reserve Signal Corps. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from Frostburg State College (now University). Nightingale obtained his doctorate degree in administration and supervision from the University of Maryland in 1978. Nightingale's professional experiences included teaching at Cresaptown Junior High School for several years. Following tenure there, he joined the faculty at Frostburg State University as coordinator of secondary field experiences until retiring in 1997 as professor of educational professions. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Juanita Margaret Nightingale (McClintock). He is survived by his sons, Mark and Brian; five grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Barry K. Young ’75 died of COVID-19 at age 69 on Oct. 28, 2021. Born and raised in Baltimore, Young majored in speech communication at UMD and earned a M.A. in leadership teaching from the Notre Dame University of Maryland. In 2011, he earned a master’s in bible instruction and in 2013 a doctorate in Christian education from the North Carolina College of Theology. He worked as a Baltimore City Public Schools educator and administrator, teaching English at the Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, as well as a general manager of WEAA FM Radio.
Ronald W. Klinger ’73, M.Ed. ’80 died on Nov. 20, 2021, after a battle with ALS. Born on July 18, 1950, in Jamaica, N.Y., to Walter T. and Mary (Kunze) Klingner, he earned a B.S. in biology and education and a master’s degree in biology from the University of Maryland. He later earned a master’s degree in scientific illustration from the University of Maryland, combining his love of science and art. At UMD, he studied Isshinryu karate and earned his black belt, and later became a teacher of karate at UMD and Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City. Klingner worked as a teacher in both Prince George’s and Howard county schools. In addition to teaching, his scientific illustrations were published in Princeton’s Field Guide and Mammals North America, and he was a featured artist at art shows in Maryland, Michigan, New York and Washington. He is survived by his wife, Catherine B. Chapman; his two stepchildren, Adam W. Gregory and Ashleigh C. King; and four grandchildren.
Donald “Silky” O'Sullivan ’72 died in Delaware, Ohio, on Oct. 2, 2021, at age 74. Born on Nov. 25, 1946, in Silver Spring, Md., to the late Diarmuid and Hilda (Hirsch) O’Sullivan, O’Sullivan was drafted into the U.S. Army and sent to Vietnam in the 1960s. After his service, he graduated from UMD and re-enlisted in 1986 as an MP through Desert Storm. In addition to his military service, O’Sullivan served on the Board of Parole and Probation in Montgomery County, Md., and was a volunteer for the Red Cross. O’Sullivan is survived by his wife, Wendy (England) O’Sullivan; daughter, Kimberly M. O’Sullivan; stepson, Zachary Graham; brother, Dennis O’Sullivan; two nephews; a niece; and a grandnephew.
Beverly A. Lusey MLS ’71 died on Nov. 15, 2021, at age 81. A native of Northern California, Lusey was a graduate of San Francisco State College before attending UMD. She worked as a children’s librarian, an assistant director and reference librarian at the Bellevue (Nebraska) Public Library for 30 years. In 1977, she won $25,000 on the game show “Name That Tune.” She was preceded in death by her husband, Michael K. Lusey, and is survived by her daughter, Christine Lusey.
James Warren Smith Ph.D. ’71 died on Nov. 26, 2021, at age 78. Born in Johnstown, Pa., he was the son of the late Warren J. Smith and Kathryn McCann Smith. He received his bachelor’s and master of science from Penn State University and his Ph.D. in dairy science from the University of Maryland. Smith worked at the University of New Hampshire and University of Georgia, with programs like the Georgia Dairy Herd Improvement Association and 4H as a cooperative extension dairy scientist. He retired from UGA in 2004. He attended Living Hope Church Athens and is survived by his wife, Ann; their three sons Doug, Dan and David; his brothers, Robert and Richard; and his six grandchildren.
Larry Franklin Kertcher ’70 died Dec. 31, 2021, at his McGaheysville, Va., home at age 74. He was born Feb. 11, 1947, in Baltimore to the late Franklin Emil and Valeska Kairis Kertcher. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps, studied civil engineering at UMD and earned a master’s degree in air pollution control from West Virginia University. Kertzher worked in Baltimore County, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency, receiving several national awards. He coached boys soccer for the Springfield Youth Organization for five years, supported Boy Scouts for his son and grandson and spent many hours taking his daughter to horseback riding lessons. He enjoyed attending Terps football and basketball games and visited 50 of the 63 national parks. In 2014, he retired to live in the Shenandoah Valley, where he became an active member of the Massanutten Property Owners Association Planning Group and volunteered at the Elkton Area Food Bank. Larry, along with his wife were members of McGaheysville United Methodist Church. Surviving is his wife of 52 years, Judith Ann (nee Lovaas) Kertcher; a son, Shaun Kertcher; a daughter, Kimberly Ferguson; a brother, Bruce Kertcher, and three grandchildren.
Helen Metaxas Koste MLS ’70 of Midlothian, Va., died on Nov. 30, 2021. Born on June 3, 1923, in Easton, Md., to Peter and Anastasia Metaxas, she graduated from Drexel University with a B.S. in commerce in 1944. Working as a business teacher at Wilmington High School in Delaware, she also attended graduate classes during the summer at the University of Maryland and completed research for Gordon W. Prange. Her work was featured in his history of the attack on Pearl Harbor, titled “At Dawn We Slept.” After graduating, she worked as an elementary school librarian in the Prince George’s County school system for 13 years. She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, James G. Koste, and is survived by her two sons, George and Pete; two sisters, Cecilica Fletcher and Mary Krutchen; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; five nieces; one nephew; three great-nieces; and five great-nephews.
Thomas Damien Leppert ’70 of Richmond, Va., died on Oct. 19, 2021, at age 74. Born on April 28, 1947, in Atlantic City, N.J., to Thomas H. and Luise Slack, Leppert grew up by the water and enjoyed boating and fishing. While at UMD, he played football and gained the name “Baby Face Leppert.” Leppert helped to develop the “Shockoe Slip” neighborhood of downtown Richmond in the 1970s and later opened Sam Miller’s Warehouse, a restaurant that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022. He is survived by his wife, Catherine “Kit”; children Thomas W. Leppert, James S. Leppert and Tess. L Huggins; siblings Pat, Nancy, Poise and David; and six grandchildren.
Kathleen "Kitty" Tobin Graves ’69, M.Ed. ’70 of Gaithersburg, Md., died on Oct. 23. Graves was the first of six children born to Irish immigrants Kathleen and Patrick Tobin in the Bronx, N.Y. In 1952, she married Harold M. Graves Jr., whom she raised five children with in Chevy Chase, Md. After earning two degrees from the University of Maryland, she taught elementary school for over 30 years. Graves is survived by her children: Gerard, Harold, Daniel, Julia Reneau and Mary Schueler; four siblings, William Tobin, Mary Rita Sheehan, Peter Tobin and Gail Parmentier; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, Harold; her sister, Patricia Littlejohn; and her great-grandson.
Michael T. Breen ’67 of Nashua, N.H., died on Nov. 20, 2021, at age 90. Born on Aug. 22, 1931, in New Haven, Conn., to Thomas J. Breen Sr. and Mary (Tracy) Nassetta, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged. He worked as an electrical engineer in Nashua until his retirement. He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Joann; two of his children, Michael P. Breen and Marie E. Pierce; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his son, John E. Breen, and his brother, Thomas J. Breen Jr.
Harold “Bud” Wright III M.A. ’67 of Charleston, S.C., died on Oct. 18, 2021, of complications from progressive supranuclear palsy at age 79. Born in Brooklyn on Feb. 21, 1942, to the Rev. Harold Burhans Wright Jr. and Blanche Evans Wright, he earned a B.A. from Westminster College and an M.A. from the University of Maryland. Wright worked at Macy’s for over 25 years, holding positions such as president of Macy’s Midwest and executive vice president of Macy’s South. He served as an elder at Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta and Covenant Prestyberian Church in Beaver Creek, Colo., and was an active downhill skier. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth “Betsy” Barnhardt Wright; two children, Lori and Todd; and four grandchildren.
Richard “Dick” Eigenbrot Jr. ’66 died on Sept. 29, 2021, at age 80 in San Antonio. Born on June 17, 1941, in Drexel Hill, Pa., to Elizabeth Deary and Richard Lewis Eigenbrot Sr., he graduated from the University of Maryland on a football scholarship. He served seven years in the U.S. Air Force and later worked with his in-laws in Houston as a furniture sales representative. He was a member of St. George Episcopal Church and is survived by his wife of 55 years, Judy; his daughters, Deborah Caswell and Julie Iswell; his brother, James Eigenbort; and five grandchildren.
H. Russell “Russ” Potts Jr. ’64 died on Dec. 19, 2021, at age 82. Potts served 20 years in the Virginia Senate, representing the northern Shenandoah Valley. Potts was born in Richmond on March 4, 1939, and spent most of his life in Winchester, Va. After graduating from UMD with a degree in journalism, he became a sports editor for The Winchester Star. Potts returned to the University of Maryland in 1970 to become the first sports marketing director in collegiate history. Potts left Maryland in 1978 to do sports marketing at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. In 1981, he joined Major League Baseball‘s Chicago White Sox as a vice president specializing in cable television projects. In 1982, Potts launched Russ Potts Productions, which has promoted more than 800 athletic and entertainment events nationwide. In 1991, he was elected to the Virginia Senate. He is survived by his wife, Emily; daughters Kristi, Katie and Kelly; and four grandchildren.
Warren Edward Groomes ’63, of Land O’Lakes, Fla., died at age 81 on Oct. 8, 2021. Groomes was born in Washington, D.C., but spent the majority of his life in Silver Spring, Md.. He taught mathematics and coached cross country at White Oak Intermediate School, Springbrook High School and Stoneridge Academy. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, where he served on the vestry and as an acolyte advisor. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Judith Groomes; his two sons, John and David; his siblings, James Groomes, Ann Pisani and Elizabeth Laroque; and four grandchildren.
Ryland "Bud" D. Wiseman Jr. ’61 of Stafford, Va., died on Oct. 23, 2021, at age 83. Born in Roanoke, Va., to the late Ryland D. Wiseman Sr. and Pearl R. Wiseman, he worked as a mechanical engineer for over 40 years at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va. He was awarded multiple patents for a helicopter escape system. After retiring, he ran a small online hobby supply business for many years. Lifelong interests included philately and trains. He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Lacy Wiseman. He is survived by his three children, David and Matthew Wiseman and Sarah Wiseman Edgar, as well as four grandsons.
Bonnie Lefkowitz ’60 died in her sleep at her home in North Beach, Md., on Dec. 16, 2021. A third-generation resident of the Washington, D.C., area, she graduated from Montgomery Blair High School and UMD, where as an editor at The Diamondback, she promoted integration at a local pizza parlor. She earned a master's in public administration from Harvard University then moved to New York City, where she participated in voter registration efforts in the Deep South and worked on Robert Kennedy's 1968 presidential primary campaign. Her career devoted to improving public health care services for the poor and underserved began at the NYC Health Department, followed by 24 years in the federal government as a principal analyst with the Congressional Budget Office, division director with the Department of Health and Human Services, and director of research and evaluation with the U.S. Public Health Service. In retirement, she wrote “Community Health Centers: A Movement and the People Who Made It Happen” (Rutgers University Press, 2007). Lefkowitz also was a consultant on two equity-advancing initiatives: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health Policy Research Awardees and W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Health Scholars. In addition, she served as recording secretary on the board of the Holland Point Community Association. Lefkowitz is survived by her stepchildren, William Francis Culhane Jr. and Sharon Taylor Culhane; and three grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband, William Frances Culhane; parents Gladys and Jackson Feldesman; and brother, Johnathan Feldesman.
Andrew Jackson “Jack” Smith ’60 of Princess Anne, Md., died on Nov. 1, 2021. Born in Portsmouth, Va., to the late Andrew Jackson Smith and Myrtle Owens Sickman, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War for three years. He worked with the Radio Corporation of America, as a department manager for ARIES Corp., as a consultant to the National Farmers Organization through Argus Systems Corp, and with EDP and Value Engineering Corp. In 1976, he founded his own company, Automation Analysis, and later he co-founded and worked as the vice president of General Analytics Corpo. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Suzanne Tawes Smith; his children, Michael and Kenneth Smith and Vicki Oland; three stepchildren, Russell and Greg Morgan, and Dorrie Moon; three grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.
Henry Herman Walbesser Jr. M.S. ’60, Ph.D. ’65, a former University of Maryland professor, died on Jan. 1, 2022, at age 86. The only child of Florence Schoenl and Henry Walbesser of Buffalo, N.Y., he earned a B.A. at the University of Buffalo, where he met his future wife, Diane Walker, in a chemistry lab. He got his B.A. from Buffalo State University in 1958, the same year the couple wed and moved to College Park so he could pursue graduate studies in math. At the University of Texas in Austin, he taught and was put on a team to assemble its first computer. Two years later, he started working at the American Association for the Advancement of Science while teaching part time at the University of Maryland, until he shifted to the latter on a full-time basis. Summers were spent taking his family to various universities in the U.S. for the summer writing sessions and abroad to work with other educators. Following his 1992 retirement, he became dean of the graduate school at Baylor University unti la second retirement. He and Diane took almost 30 cruises, and after he developed dementia they moved to the Delaney at Lake Waco. He is survived by his wife; sons James and Henry III; daughter Kathleen Watkins; and six grandchildren.
Maxine Batie Cunningham M.Ed. ’59 of Annapolis, Md., died on Oct. 22, 2021. Born to Albert and Caroline Batie on May 13, 1921, in Cumberland, Md., she completed her undergraduate studies at Towson University and earned her master’s in education at UMD. She worked as an elementary school teacher and principal for Prince George’s County Public Schools for 40 years, and later as a secretary for state Del. Sheila Hixon for 23 years. She is survived by her two children, Carole Brady and William Grimm; seven grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Marion “Alex” Thomas Alexander ’58 of Frederick, Md., died on Oct. 21, 2021. Born in Mardela Springs, Md., on June 13, 1930, to Dewey Lee Alexander and Bertie (Majors) Alexander, he served his country from 1951-54 in the U.S. Army. After his service, he earned his B.S. in chemistry through partial studies at the American Type Culture Collection and the University of Maryland. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Frederick, where he served as a deacon. He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Doris; his four children, Greg and Wes Alexander, Patricia Moore and Debra Brown; 12 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.
Billie Joe Redmond ’57 died on Oct. 29, 2021, at age 91 in LaVale, Md. Born on April 1, 1930, to Charles Steven and Ruby Agnes (Mitchell) Redmond in Powellton, W.V., he served eight years in the National Guard and enlisted in the Marine Corps. He worked at the Kelly Springfield Tire Company for over 30 years as a manager of staff and office services. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Ellen “Peggy” (Jones) Redmond, his granddaughter, and his siblings, Dorse, Walt, Jack, Harold and Betty. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, MaryAnn Redmond; his three children, Mark and Doug Redmond and Diane Shriver; six stepchildren, Taune, Tara, Carrie, Kevin, Corey and Curran; five grandchildren; 12 step-grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Stephen Robert Cassola ’56 of Webster, Texas, died on Oct. 19, 2021, at age 90. Born on Jan. 12, 1931, in Brooklyn, Cassola served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He spent his career as an aerospace engineer in and around the manned space program. He is survived by his wife, Diana Stillman Cassola; four children, Rosemarie Harris, Robin Anna, Stephen Michael and Mark David Cassola; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Robert “Bob” F. Drechsler ’56 died on Oct. 20, 2021, at age 88. Born on April 9, 1933, to Carl and Anna Agnes Drechsler, he served in the U.S. Army and played for the Third Army Band as a clarinetist. After he was honorably discharged in 1962, he worked as an agricultural technician for the U.S. National Arboretum for 13 years, and after that worked as the first curator of the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum until he retired in 1998, then volunteered there for another 17 years. He also was active in the Masons of the District of Columbia for more than 40 years, including his longtime chairmanship of the Grand Lodge Library and Museum Committee, and a decorated member of the DC Scottish Rite. He is preceded in death by his siblings, Albert, Carl, George, Elsie, Thomas, Richard, Mary Louise and Gerald. He is survived by his sister, Jane Ellen.
Edwin Russell Burtner ’52 died on Nov. 19, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. Born in Keedysville, Md., on Nov. 12, 1928, he was senior class president at Hagerstown High School and president of Sigma Chi fraternity at UMD, where he also served in the Army ROTC. During his time at Maryland, he served for two years in the Navy as an electronics technician on the U.S.S. Rochester. After the Navy, he worked as a lieutenant in the Air Force Reserves and later graduated from UMD with a bachelor’s in accounting. He earned his M.B.A. through the Harvard Executive program and worked for C&P Telephone in Richmond, Va. He and his wife were active in Salisbury Presbyterian Church; he coached youth baseball, softball and soccer teams; and he was a member of the Midlothian Kiwanis Club, Lions Club and the Rotary Club for many years. Burtner also served on the boards of Salisbury Country Club and Westminster Canterbury in Richmond. He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Nancy Ladd Burtner. He is survived by his three children, Ed Jr., Judy Whitson and Tom; seven grandchildren; and 14 nieces and nephews.
George S. Douglass Jr. ’52 of Potomac, Md., died on Oct. 20, 2021, at age 95. Douglass served in the U.S. Navy before graduating from the University of Maryland. He was a founding director of LND and also worked as a director of Teledyne MEC, where he managed, developed and produced defense electronics. Douglass was a member of the Association of Old Crows, an organization for individuals with common interests in, among other things, electronic warfare; and of Congressional Country Club. He is survived by wife, Anne F. Douglass; his sons Robert and Jim Douglass; his stepchildren, Donna Harrington, Janice Williams and Karen Williams; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Doris Wallis ’50 died on Oct. 22, 2021, at age 91. Born on Nov. 11, 1929, to Hazel Earnest and Frank Marcel Stephen, Wallis attended the University of Maryland, where she studied psychology and zoology. She met her late husband, Scott, while there. Wallis was a mother, homemaker and community volunteer. Wallis is survived by her daughter, Ginger Wallis; two nieces; and two nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, Frank Stephen; sister, Lucille Eccelston; and a niece.
Raymond E. Grant ’49 died on Oct. 23, 2021. Born on April 19, 1923, in Baltimore, he graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1941 before enlisting in the Navy’s V-5 pilot training program in 1943. He flew Torpedo and Dive Bombers in World War II. After the war, he attended the University of Maryland and met his wife of 70 years, Ruth Porter. After UMD, he worked as a licensed real estate agent, licensed insurance agent and as a certified real estate appraiser. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, and great-granddaughter. He is survived by his four daughters, Dana Pilallis, Karen Felts, Dale Shaklee and Betsy Wyble; six grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Elizabeth “Libby” Eppley ’48 died on Oct. 23, 2021. She was born on Jan. 18, 1927, to Elizabeth and Geary Eppley (1920), the noted UMD athletic director, dean of men and assistant professor of agronomy whose name is on the university’s recreation center. She earned an education degree at UMD, where she was a member of Pi Beta Phi, and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She worked as a teacher at Glen Allen High School and White Stone, Norfolk, Glen Lea and Ruby F. Carver elementary schools, and helped found and direct the St. Thomas Church preschool. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Clarence “Dan” Danforth, and is survived by her five children, Mollie, Anne, Henry and Nick Danforth and Lainee Maiolino; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and her siblings, Frances Tobin Hunt and Geary W. Eppley.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply
* indicates a required field