Class Notes
Class Notes of 20s '20s
Class Notes of 10s '10s
Andrew Bassan ’10 won $10,200 and placed second competing on “Wheel of Fortune” in January. “It was also extra special to be one of the few contestants to play on Pat Sajak's final season,” he says. Bassan, a lawyer with the D.C. firm Kiernan Trebach, filmed the episode just two weeks after another life milestone: welcoming a baby boy with wife Amelia.
Caitlin Marsh ’11 was appointed vice president of product for SpiderOak, a cybersecurity company. Before then, she worked at Ball Aerospace and the strategic investment firm In-Q-Tel. Additionally, she chairs the advisory council for the Command Purpose Foundation. Marsh has a master's degree in systems engineering from George Washington University.
Ishita Ahmed M.A. ’18 was selected as the 2024 recipient of the Center for Measurement Justice-National Board of Medical Examiners Dissertation Fellowship, a program designed to promote diversity and anti-racist assessment and measurement practices. Ahmed is a doctoral candidate for international comparative education and developmental and psychological sciences at Stanford University.
Jamar Harrison ’12 is a global account manager at Delta Air Lines, responsible for the global relationship between Delta and American Express Global Business Travel. He also serves as president of Delta’s largest business resource group, providing strategy focused on the retention, career mobility and wellness of Black employees, and co-hosts a leadership podcast series alongside his mentor, Delta CEO Ed Bastian, called “Gaining Altitude.”
Z&Z Manoushe Bakery in Rockville, Md., owned by brothers Johnny ’14, Danny ’10 and Ronnie Dubbaneh ’09, was named to The New York Times’ 25 Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C. Right Now in April. The review called the crust of Z&Z’s classic manoushe, a popular Middle Eastern flatbread, “both tantalizingly chewy and thoroughly crisp, from the edge to the tip of each triangle-cut slice. Z&Z products are also available online and in grocery stores across the mid-Atlantic.
Jonathan Sachs ’10, MBA ’18 was appointed Baltimore County’s director of the Department of Economic and Workforce Development. He most recently served as chief executive officer of WUWTA, a patient experience platform that guides patients through their health care journey. Prior to that, Sachs served as vice president and chief experience officer at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and in several senior hospital administration roles at Adventist HealthCare. Sachs also spent several years with the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce as director of public affairs and director of public policy.
Justin Di Palo ’11, M.S. ’12 rejoined the international engineering firm Syska Hennessy Group to serve as co-lead of its national sustainability practice and as an associate partner. He is based in the Los Angeles office. Di Palo first joined that office in 2017 as a mechanical engineer and energy analyst, working on projects in the health care, commercial, aviation, civic and higher education sectors.
Kyle T. McQuighan ’12 was promoted to principal at Anzu Partners, an investment firm delivering capital and strategic support to tech companies. He joined the firm in 2021 and previously led business development for CPA firm Aronson’s technology, life science, venture fund, and government contracting practices. Kyle began his career with PwC.
Lauren A. Mendelsohn ’13, a junior partner at the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa, was a winner of the 2024 North Bay Business Journal’s “Forty Under 40” Awards. She is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine School of Law.
MJ Patent ’16 was promoted from vice president of marketing to chief marketing officer at Logically, a managed security and IT service provider. She serves on the CompTIA 2024 Data Advisory Council and as an ambassador for Pavillion. In 2023, she was recognized with the CRN Woman of the Channel award and as a 2023 CRN NextGen Leader.
Shalanda Armstrong MBA ’12 was named to the Washington Business Journal’s 2024 list of 40 Under 40. She is managing partner of 100KM Ventures, a venture capital company dedicated to investing in early-stage, diverse management teams focused on building technology companies addressing untapped customers across the future of work and women's health.
Theodore F. Kaouk Ph.D. ’14 was named the inaugural chief artificial intelligence officer at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, part of the Biden administration’s push to govern the use of AI across the federal government. Kaouk was the chief data officer and responsible official for AI at the Office of Personnel Management before joining the commission in December. He also was the chief data officer at the Department of Agriculture, helping establish the agency’s first enterprise data analytics and AI platform.
Class Notes of 00s '00s
Adrienne Brown ’05 published the book “The Residential Is Racial,” which analyzes the history of homeownership and the role of mass homeownership in changing the definition, perception and value of race. Brown is an associate professor in the Departments of English and Race, Diaspora and Indigeneity at the University of Chicago.
Billy Cannon MFA ’02 was promoted to managing principal of local law firm Offit Kurman. He spent 12 years as an attorney in Offit Kurman’s landlord representation practice group. Before joining Offit Kurman, Cannon worked for Potomac’s Shulman Rogers. He also was an English teacher at Gonzaga College High School for seven years.
Cate Luzio ’07, founder and CEO of the global professional education and networking platform Luminary, was named to Inc. Business Media’s 2024 Female Founders list. Expanded to 250 names this year, the list highlights resilient female founders whose achievements defied the conditions they faced such as keeping the internet running in war zones, coping with the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, or facing personal crises.
Colleen Vacelet ’02 was selected as the Baltimore Business Journal’s “2024 Mentor of the Year.” She is the founder of Intreegue Design, an Elkridge-based landscape architecture firm, and last year acquired Order Green Supply, a Baltimore firm that supplies commercial construction building materials. Vacelet chairs the Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW) CEO National Council and a mentor there. She is also an AWE Foundation mentor, where she helps local women start and grow their businesses, and serves as vice chair of the Maryland Building Industry Association’s Professional Women in Building.
Corie E. Baker M.Arch.’05 was promoted to market vice president of the health care market at Gresham Smith, a national architecture and engineering firm. Baker brings nearly two decades of health care experience to the position, and has also spoken about sustainability at national conferences, authored articles on best practices for industry publications, and has held leadership positions with the U.S. Green Building Council and AIA Academy of Architecture for Health. Baker earned a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from the University of Vermont.
Dr. Nicholas Amoroso ’05 was named to the medical advisory board of egnite, a digital health company specializing in cardiovascular care. He is an interventional cardiologist and director of the Medical University of South Carolina’s Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory. His background includes medical training at George Washington University as well as residency and fellowship programs at NYU and Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
Elizabeth A. Fitch ’02 was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s Estate and Trust Law Power List, which recognizes the most influential and respected practitioners in the estate & trust law sector in Maryland. Fitch serves as counsel in law firm Semmes, Bowen and Semmes’ Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Practice.
Emily Guskin ’06 was part of the The Washington Post team recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for its immersive series on the AR-15 rifle in American politics and culture. She is the polling analyst at the newspaper, specializing in public opinion about politics, election campaigns and public policy.
Grant H. Hackley ’00 was appointed of counsel in Rawle & Henderson’s Pittsburgh office. Hackley represents corporations, small businesses, individuals and their insurers in civil litigation involving insurance coverage, construction, causality and premises liability and environmental, toxic and mass torts. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, he has been the editor of the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section’s newsletter since 2019. Hackley also serves as the Pittsburgh-area coordinator for Medal4Mettle, which collects medals from marathoners and triathletes for patients fighting chronic or life-threatening illnesses. He is also a board member of the M. Patricia Carroll Fund, a nonprofit providing financial assistance to members of the legal profession struggling with mental health.
John Lawson ’02 wrote his first novel, “Kurtz,” which MilSpeak published on March 1. New York Times bestselling author Gary Shteyngart calls it “a romantic thriller oozing with maturity and insight.” It’s the story of Annie Kurtz, a Marine whose split-second decision leaves her wrestling with whether she should have followed her orders or her conscience. The narrator is Nick Willard, a journalist who must grapple with his own conscience as he uncovers the reasons for the changes to Annie, whom he has deified since they were in prep school together.
Kaycie Bowen ’04 was named upper school principal at the independent Indian Creek School in Crownsville, Md. She previously served as an assistant principal at Archbishop Spalding High School in Severn and as a teacher in Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Bowen earned her master's degree in leadership from Notre Dame of Maryland University and her master’s degree in teaching from Bowie State University.
Kevin Collins MBA ’02 was promoted to head of U.S. Intermediaries, T. Rowe Price's business supporting financial advisors and consultants in the intermediary channel. He joined the company in 1994 and most recently was head of Retirement Plan Services. He also serves as chair of the SPARK (Society of Professional Asset Managers and Record Keepers) Institute's governing board.
Duke University Press recently published “dear elia: Letters from the Asian American Abyss” by Mimi Khúc ’03. It traces the contemporary Asian American mental health crisis from the university into the COVID-19 pandemic, reenvisioning mental health through a pedagogy of unwellness—the recognition that we are all differentially unwell. She is the creator of Open in Emergency and the Asian American Tarot.
Nina P. Jones ’02 was appointed to the board of trustees of Equity Residential. She recently retired from T. Rowe Price, where she most recently served as vice president, portfolio manager, of the U.S. Real Estate Equity Strategy. She has an MBA from the Columbia University Graduate School of Business and currently serves as a director of Simon Property Group.
Prashant Gaur M.B.A. ’08, president and CEO of Credence, was named to the Federal 100, which recognizes excellence in federal IT. The company has been a Washington Post Top Workplace for four consecutive years, on Inc.'s list of fastest growing companies 12 years in a row, and is a top company in the Washington Business Journal's list of most diverse companies. Prior to Credence, Gaur served as a senior executive at the Pentagon and as president of ACT-IAC.
Sheila Farahpour ’02 joined the Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts as senior vice president of development, Americas. She was with Marriott International for 16 years, most recently as vice president of luxury and mixed-use development. In 2021, Farahpour was recognized in Hotels Magazine’s inaugural class of rising stars in the industry.
Srinivas “Srini” Attili MBA ’05 was appointed executive vice president, Civilian Business Group, at Science Applications International Corp., a Fortune 500 technology integrator. He joined SAIC from McKinsey & Co., where he served as partner and leader in Healthcare and Digital Transformation for the past three years. He previously served as a principal with Deloitte Consulting, and his experience also includes leading IBM’s Public Sector Technology Services practice.
Tahra Grant ’08 was promoted to executive vice president and chief communications officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment. She is the first African American woman to hold this role at a major Hollywood studio. She had led corporate communications for Sony’s Motion Picture Group for the last eight years.
Thomas Duncan ’06 joined Faegre Drinker as a partner in the government and regulatory practice in Philadelphia. Prior to entering private practice, Duncan was an assistant counsel at the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board. He has held a governor-appointed position as a member of the Environmental Hearing Board Rules Committee since 2020. He earned his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.
Class Notes of 90s '90s
Alice Swift ’90, Ed.D. ’22 was appointed principal of Abington Senior High School, her alma mater She began her career as a high school English teacher and went on to work as an assistant principal, principal and testing and instruction coordinator. Most recently Swift served as director of Safe and Orderly Schools for Anne Arundel County Public Schools, where she also was the deputy coordinator of Title IX.
Anirban Basu M.A. ’98 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record's “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which spotlights the people who play an outsize role in the culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. He is the chairman and CEO of economic and policy consulting firm Sage Policy Group and economist in residence at Goucher College and sits on the boards of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, St. Mary’s College, the University of Maryland Medical Center, the University System of Maryland Foundation, the Lyric Opera House and the Archdiocese of Baltimore School System. He is also on Truist Bank’s advisory board.
Benjamin P. Kirtman Ph.D. ’92 was a speaker at the University of Miami’s commencement ceremonies. He is the William R. Middelthon III Endowed Chair of Earth Sciences, director, NOAA Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, and deputy director, Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing.
Jason M. St. John ’94, managing partner and CEO of law firm Saul Ewing, was one of 10 Greater Baltimore business leaders honored by The Baltimore Business Journal for their efforts in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in workplaces and the community. He was also named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights people who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. He is also a member of the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore’s Board of Trustees and the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law’s Board of Visitors.
John Heneghan ’97, president of ECS, a provider of technology, science and engineering solutions, was recognized as a 2024 Wash100 Award winner by Executive Mosaic, an international leadership organization and media company. The annual list honors 100 “executives of consequence” in the government contracting industry. This marks the third consecutive year that Heneghan has been recognized on the list.
Jonathan Burr '96 will graduate in June with a Master of Letters degree in archives and records management from the University of Dundee Center for Archives and Information Studies in Dundee, Scotland. Since 2015, he’s been an archivist specializing in digitization for the al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art at New York University Abu Dhabi.
Kevin Plank ’96 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights people who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. He is the Founder, Executive Chairman and Brand Chief of Under Armor. Plank was inspired to create the brand while playing football for the University of Maryland and having a hard time finding clothing to wear during games and practices. Plank founded the Baltimore-based company over two decades ago, starting the business in his grandmother’s townhouse and selling his first shirt out of his car.
Pablo J. Quintana M.Arch. ’95 joined the D.C. office of OTJ Architects as principal and director of design. He worked at Volkswagen Group of America for 15 years, leading its relocation to Reston, Va. He was also the interior design force behind Choice Hotels’ headquarters in Rockville and Google’s government affairs office in D.C.
Ravi K. Khanna ’98 was promoted to CEO of GSE Systems, which provides engineering, staffing and simulation software to nuclear, electrical and other power industries. He joined the company in 2016 as a digital delivery manager and was promoted to senior vice president of professional services in 2018.
Sandhya Hosagrahara Somashekhar ’99 was promoted to deputy business editor at The Washington Post, where she has worked for nearly two decades, on the local desk, national desk, Outlook and business desk. She obtained her master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley School of Journalism.
Tamara Wilds Lawson M.A. ’98, Ph.D. ’09 was honored with a Washington Business Journal Diversity in Business Award. Wilds Lawson is the president and CEO of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, a community-supported foundation that invests in the power of women and girls of color in the D.C. region.
Class Notes of 80s '80s
Beth C. Rosenwald ’88 was included in Women We Admire’s Top 50 Leaders of Maryland for 2024. Rosenwald is managing director and financial advisor for RBC Wealth Management. She also serves as a board member of Women United of United Way of Central Maryland, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Maryland, Baltimore Symphony Endowment Trust and Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women.
Brian A. Balenson ’85 was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s Estate and Trust Law Power List, which recognizes the most influential and respected practitioners in the estate & trust law sector in Maryland. Balenson is chair of the Tydings & Rosenberg LLP estates and trusts practice. For more than 30 years, he has represented clients concerning their estate planning and estates and trusts administration.
Brian Gibbons ’84 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights those who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. Gibbons is the chairman and CEO of the real estate company Greenberg Gibbons. He is the chair of Lifebridge Health’s investment committee, the vice chairman at Hospice of the Chesapeake and a trustee at the University of Maryland and University of Maryland, Baltimore. He has been appointed by the state of Maryland as a commissioner to the Augustine Commission on Business Climate, the Knot Commission of School Construction and the Inter-Agency Commission on School Construction Funding. He is also a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Carissa L. Rodeheaver ’87 was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Top 100 Women List. Rodeheaver is chairman of the board, president and CEO of First United Corp. and First United Bank & Trust. She is one of 10 women joining the Circle of Excellence, having been named to the Top 100 List three times.
Creig Northrop ’90 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights those who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. Northrop is the founder, CEO and an associate broker at Northrop Reality. Northrop founded the real estate company in 2018 with his wife Carla and it has since grown into 14 regional offices with around 300 real estate agents.
Dan Flannery ’85 was named chief operating officer at Loews Hotels & Co. Most recently, he was the CEO of Cape Resorts, and before that role, Flannery created and launched the Edition luxury lifestyle brand with Ian Schrager, opening its first 15 hotels around the world. Flannery also held regional and general manager responsibilities for the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co. for its Northeast U.S. hotels. He sits on the Industry Advisory Board for Pennsylvania State University School of Hospitality Management.
Jeff Thoreson '81’s book “The Golf Bucket List: 100 Ideas for Enjoying the Great Game of Golf,” coming out in June, features the 10 U.S. and 10 international destinations to experience, the 10 knee-knocker tee shots to hit, and advice for how to play at the 10 most exclusive U.S. golf clubs. He was the founding editor of Washington Golf Monthly and GolfStyles magazines and edited those publications for 25 years.
Jeffrey S. Glaser M.A. ’91 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s 2024 Estate and Trust Law Power List, which highlights the most influential and respected practitioners in the estate and trust law sector in Maryland. Glaser is the trust and estates chair for Saul Ewing LLP and a faculty member of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Continuing Education Program.
Joseph Mevorah ’81 was appointed managing director of Hilco Enterprise Valuation Services. He previously held key roles at Lehman Brothers, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Houlihan Lokey, Ankura Consulting (formerly Navigant), and Kroll (formerly Duff & Phelps). He holds an MBA from George Washington University.
Marisa Bartolomei Ph.D. ’82 was awarded the 2024 March of Dimes Richard B. Johnston, Jr., MD Prize. She is a co-director of the Epigenetics Institute at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine, where she is also a professor of cell and developmental biology. Bartolomei received her Ph.D from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Marshall H. Woodworth ’81 was appointed chief financial officer of NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on cardiometabolic diseases. Woodworth previously served as chief financial officer of Nevakar, Braeburn Pharmaceuticals, Aerocrine AB, and Furiex Pharmaceuticals.
Class Notes of 70s '70s
Bishop Joachim "John" Cotsonis ‘76 is director of the Archbishop Iakovos Library and Learning Resource Center at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass. In 2019, he became the first Terp to be ordained as an auxiliary bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church. He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Holy Cross, an M.A. and Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University and an MLIS from Simmons College. Cotsonis is one of North America's leading scholars on the religious imagery of Byzantine lead seals.
Carlos P. Naudon ’72 was appointed to the New York Gaming Facility Location Board. He is director, president and chief executive officer of Ponce Bank, a federal savings association based in the Bronx, and of its publicly traded parent company, Ponce Financial Group. Naudon also owns Banking Spectrum, a banking publishing company. Until 2015, Naudon was a partner in the law firm of Allister & Naudon. He graduated with a master’s degree in accounting, finance and operations management from the University of Rochester, and a juris doctor from the Brooklyn Law School.
Gerard E. Evans M.S. ’77 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights people who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. Evans is the founder, president and owner of Evans & Associates. He has been a lobbyist in Annapolis for the past 25 years, representing clients in the Maryland General Assembly, including the Washington Redskins, the Baltimore Orioles, Verizon Communications and Constellation Energy. Evans has taught pro bono at UMD’s School of Public Policy and James McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership for the past 17 years. He also serves as a senior scholar at the Burns Academy.
Lynn B. Sassin ’78 was named to the Maryland Daily Record’s 2024 Estate and Trust Power List, which recognizes the most influential and respected practitioners in the estate and trust law sector in Maryland. Sassin is chair of Gordon Feinblatt’s Trusts & Estates practice group, where she focuses on estate and tax planning, estate and trust administration, family and business succession planning, and estate- and trust-related litigation.
Myrna Chandler Goldstein M.A. ’73 with Dr. Mark A. Goldstein ’68 wrote the book “Treatments for Anxiety: Fact Versus Fiction,” being released on July 25. It examines 25 well-known and well-studied options for combating anxiety. She is an independent scholar and writer, and he is founding chief emeritus of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Tim Regan ’77 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights those who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. Regan has been the president and CEO of Whiting-Turner Contracting Company for nearly a decade.
Willie May Ph.D. ’77 was named to the Baltimore Business Journal’s “Faces to Watch” for 2024, which highlights leaders in Greater Baltimore business who are leading top companies, nonprofits and projects with “a mission to effect change.” May is the vice president of research and development at Morgan State University. Under May, MSU’s research expenditures have gone from $13 million in 2018 to $40 million in 2023.
Class Notes of 60s '60s
Dr. Mark A. Goldstein ’68 and Myrna Chandler Goldstein M.A. ’73 wrote the book “How Technology, Social Media, and Current Events Profoundly Affect Adolescents.” It analyzes adolescent issues through a biopsychosocial perspective; examines current social issues such as racism, LGBTQ and poverty; and reviews how the COVID pandemic and the war in the Ukraine have impacted children. He is founding chief emeritus of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, and she is an independent scholar and writer.
Edward St. John ’61 was named to The (Maryland) Daily Record’s “Power 100” list for 2023-24, which highlights people who play an important role in culture, lifestyle, civic conversations and economic fortunes of Maryland. He founded St. John’s Properties and over the last five decades, the real estate company has owned, developed and constructed more than 23 million square feet of warehouse, retail and office space across the country. He founded the Edward St. John Foundation in 1998 to help financially assist educational programs. Through his own philanthropy, company and foundation, the Baltimore native has donated more than $65 million.
Class Notes of Passings Passings
Arden B. Poole M.A. ’55 died on April 18, 2024, at age 96 in San Francisco. Born Arden Vandevere Bennett, she grew up in Philly's suburbs and in rural Locksley, Pa., which cultivated in her a lifelong respect for nature. Arden received a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1950 and an MA in speech from UMD. While working as an audiologist in Washington, D.C., she met and married Curtis Poole, whose law firm relocated him to Birmingham, Mich. For more than 25 years, she was a docent at the Detroit Institute of Arts and a longtime patron of Detroit Symphony and Opera. She was also active in social justice work through the Congregational Church of Birmingham and a member of garden clubs. After her husband’s passing in the 1990s, Poole moved to San Francisco to be closer to her children. There she reveled in learning the city's history through classes at the Fromm Institute and joining the storytelling team at the Asian Art Museum. She is survived by her children: Steven, Kristin, Tom and Kate Poole; and grandchildren.
Brian A. Bozzone ’74 died on Jan. 14, 2024, at age 71. He earned an education degree at UMD and went on to work for Philips Lighting for over 40 years, primarily as senior manager of IT. Bozzone retired at age 57 and enjoyed traveling extensively with his wife. He volunteered with Learning Ally, recording audiobooks for the visually impaired, and was an award-winning tutor for Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County. Bozzone also volunteered for Catholic Charities, the Jewish Family Service, the Hope Ministry at the Church of St. Andrew and Mother of Mercy House. Bozzone is survived by his wife, Rosanne Reilly Bozzone; two daughters, Jessica and Laura; and one son, Timothy.
Charise Joy Pfeffer ’02 of Rhinebeck, N.Y., died on May 5, 2024, from complications of Huntington's disease at age 43. She was a graduate of the Hebrew Academy of the Capital District, Bethlehem High School and UMD, where she majored in government and politics, volunteered at the Washington D.C. rape crisis center, engaged in underground caving, participated in an Urban Plunge program to learn about being homeless; and interned at Albany Law School’s Government Law Center. Pfeffer joined the Peace Corps, and for two years taught English to children in Turkmenistan. She also taught English to children in Thailand and earned a degree as a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language. She volunteered in Israel for six months teaching English to children at a residential foster care center. She also lived in Manhattan and Buenos Aires. Pfeffer was fluent in five languages. Her favorite band was Rusted Root and she attended many concerts. She authored many poems and was the keynote poet at the Russell Sage Poetry Slam in 2014. Pfeffer is survived by her father, Alan Pfeffer; stepmother, Lenora Galitz; aunt and uncle, Diane and Ira Rubtchinsky; cousins; and lifelong best friend Yaffa Rasowsky. She was predeceased by her mother, Susan Halpern Pfeffer.
Clifford Douglas Feldwick ’70 died in Columbia, Md., on Jan. 20, 2024, at age 73 after a long battle with cancer. Born in England, he immigrated to Baltimore with his brother, Ray, and parents, Douglas and Elizabeth. He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and went on to study mechanical engineering at UMD. He founded Riverside Computing and enjoyed owning his own business. Feldwick married Shirley Fink in 1970, and the couple had two children, Christopher and Jennifer, before getting divorced. He founded the company Riverside Computing. As a Rotarian, he traveled to Ethiopia to administer polio vaccines. Feldwick is survived by his children; grandchildren; and brother.
David Robert Ellis ’61 of Atlanta, died peacefully on May 5, 2024, at age 85 after a long battle with dementia. Ellis graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School and earned an accounting degree at UMD. He worked for Arthur Anderson in various roles in D.C. and in Baltimore, then in 1977 he founded/owned/recruited for Don Richard of Baltimore for 13 years, for Don Richard of Central PA for two years, then for Don Richard of Atlanta for 10 years. Before retiring, he recruited for Spherion and Bolton. Ellis served as past president of the Institute of Management Accountants in Baltimore; treasurer and chairman of the Rotary Club in Baltimore, and a Rotary Club member in York, Pa., and Atlanta; on the membership committee for the Association of Corporate Growth in Baltimore and Atlanta; and as a Pathfinders' mentor for career development for women chosen for the program by their employers. Once diagnosed with dementia, he became a fierce advocate for the Alzheimer's Association and Emory Brain Health, volunteering on committees and frequently participating in activities. He is survived by his wife, Stephanie Leedy-Ellis; and their five daughters, Vicki Gra, Julie Schlangen, Dana Traynor, Kimberly Kloecker and Angela Larson; 15 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and siblings, Joan Berger and Jeffrey Ellis.
Dorothy Bealle Brown ’52, of Seaside Park, N.J., died on May 4, 2024, at age 92. She met her husband, Paul Brown, while pursuing a degree in textiles and clothing at UMD. The family lived in Greenbelt, Md., Chicago, northern New Jersey, then Toms River in 1976, eventually moving closer to the Jersey Shore. She started her career as a teacher, then relished being a housewife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Brown was also a member of the Rosary and Altar Society in North Jersey, the TWIG charitable organization, the Toms River Yacht Club, and Saint Joseph's Church in Toms River, then Saint Catharine of Siena in Seaside Park. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Paul. She is survived by her four children: Paul Brown Jr., Richard Brown, Barbara Brown Toscano and Patricia Brown Guerinot; 12 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren; and two siblings, William Bealle and John Bealle.
Ellen Marie Johnson Lawther Kowalyk ’55 died on April 9, 2024, at age 90. She was a third-generation Washingtonian. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in three and a half years from UMD’s College of Home Economics and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. She remained active in the sorority as president of the Washington, D.C. Association, and later province director of alumni. Kowalyk also volunteered at the children's hospital and worked as a food cost analyst for the Marriott Corp. She taught home economics for 20 years, establishing a food service program for mentally challenged students in Montgomery County Public Schools and Rock Terrace School. Upon retirement, she and husband John moved to Vero Beach, Fla., where she volunteered at the Indian River Memorial Hospital (now Cleveland Clinic) for 20 years and served on its advisory board for five. Following the death of her husband, she married William Kowalyk in 2002. He died in 2015. She continued to travel and volunteered at multiple charities in Vero Beach, including the Acts Community at Indian River Estates. Kowalyk is survived by her son, Dean Lawther; stepson Alexandar Kowalyk; and three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Ellen's daughter SueEllen predeceased her in 2021.
Emily Ann Sakakini Murray ’69 died on April 10, 2024, in Hockessin, Del., at age 77. She graduated from Granby High School, and from UMD magna cum laude with a degree in library science. She was a lifetime member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and the UMD Alumni Association. A Coast Guard wife and mother, Murray lived throughout the United States, including Hawaii. She became an award-winning lettering artist while living near the nation’s capital. In addition to dozens of private clients, her calligraphic talent was utilized by the White House, the State Department, Lord & Taylor and Neiman Marcus. Murray also worked as a producer and booking agent for ABC’s “Good Morning America” and CBS News, eventually earning the nickname “the happy booker” by the many people she secured to be guests. She was a longtime member of the National Press Club and Overseas Press Club of America. Murray was the quintessential hostess, throwing theme parties and celebrations for any occasion, and opening her home to friends and family. She was an active church member and participant at her kids’ schools, often serving as room mother or with the PTA. For the past five years, she served as the resident ambassador while residing at Brookdale Senior Living. She loved music and playing the piano, art, playing bridge and seeing theatrical shows, especially on Broadway. Murray is survived by her children, Craig Murray and Lauren Simione; four grandchildren; her “beloved,” Christopher Rose; brother, George Sakakini; and many cousins and friends.
Gary Klausner ’87 of Plainview, N.Y., died April 17, 2024, three days before his 59th birthday, according to an article in Newsday. Klausner was born with cystic fibrosis and was not expected to live past age 16, Despite the initial diagnosis, Klausner studied business administration and played tennis at UMD and was an ardent Terps fan; he was buried in a UMD sweatshirt. A rare bacterial infection forced Klausner to undergo a double-lung transplant in 1988, and he had hoped to become the longest-living recipient. He was a Miami Dolphins supporter, enjoyed eating pizza every day and lived by the mantra “Never say never.”.Klausner is survived by his wife, Robin; twin sons, Steven and Matthew; brother, Lloyd; and father, Walter.
George Arthur Barnard ’54 died in Chelmsford, Mass., on Jan. 11, 2024, at the age of 93. He grew up in Catonsville, Md., studied engineering at UMD and completed a master’s degree at Northeastern University. As an aeronautical engineer, Barnard worked for several defense contractors, including Raytheon, Avco, Textron and Natick Labs, before starting his own consulting business. He was very involved in the Baptist church in South Chelmsford, where he was on many committees and did projects on the building. His wife, Carol, and eldest son, Bill, preceded him in death. Barnard is survived by four children: Susan, John, Christine and George; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
George Washington Higgins Jr. ’63 died in May 2024 at age 87. He was born in Orange, Va., and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955-59. After receiving his honorable discharge, Higgins moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Bureau of Standards while pursuing a degree in geography at UMD. After graduating, he joined the General Electric Company's Appliance division, where he worked for nearly 32 years. Higgins volunteered weekly with Project Warm,, helping repair homes for low-income families in the community, and for Habitat For Humanity, Franciscan Kitchen and Holy Trinity Catholic Church. He was an active member of Catholic churches wherever he lived. In 1967, he married Barbara Venemann, who survives him, along with his daughters, Georgeann Higgins and Amy Higgins Sandmann.
Harvey Walden M.A. ’73 died on Aug. 25, 2022. Walden earned a master’s degree in applied mathematics at UMD and worked at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center for 57 years. Among his many accomplishments, Walden chose the site of the landing of the lunar module after comparing the gravitational pulls of the moon, deciding on the Sea of Tranquility because it had the longest length of the same gravitational pull. Walden also supplied the computations for the rendezvous of the orbiter and the lunar module. Over his career he published nearly 150 papers. He is survived by his spouse, Randy Faerber Walden.
John Raymond Campbell Ph.D. ’72 died on Sept. 17, 2023, age 82. He earned five degrees, including a doctorate in statistics at UMD and a law degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Campbell had a 42-year career with the federal government—including at Goddard Space Flight Center, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Defense—as a digital computer programmer, systems designer and engineer, and a security systems researcher. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he was on the adjunct faculty at UMD and the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where he taught computer security. Campbell is survived by Deirdre, his wife of 56 years; and by a daughter, Sheila.
Joseph “Joe” Raposo ’60 died in Bethlehem, Pa., on Jan. 29, 2024, at the age of 86. Raposo was born on Sept. 10, 1937, in Newark, N.J. He was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity at UMD, where he met his wife, Eleanor. After college, Raposo served in the U.S. Air Force, then became an accountant. He started his own accounting firm in 1980 and worked well into his 80s. Raposo was an active member of the Knights of Columbus and the Rotary Club, serving as their treasurer. He was also involved in the Portuguese American Club in New Jersey. Raposo was a devoted member of the First Presbyterian Church in Emmaus. He is survived by his sons, Steven, David, Mark and Douglas Raposo. He was preceded in death by his brother, Dennis Raposo.
Louis Cote ’55 died in Western Springs, Ill., on Jan. 21, 2024, at the age of 90. Cote earned an interior design degree at UMD and an MBA from American University. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s, and was stationed in Florida and Texas. His favorite hobby was gardening, where he allowed his inner artist its greatest freedom. Cote is survived by his wife of 57 years, Marie Ann Cucuzzella; his daughters, Ann Hoffman and Piera Robson; five granddaughters; his brother, Frank; many nieces, nephews and great-nieces and -nephews.
Louise Matthews Schutz ’49 died in California, Md., on March 3, 2024, at age 96. The daughter of a colonel in the army, Schutz lived throughout the United States and several countries as her father and husband’s military deployments evolved. A great traveler, she also took many vacations all over the world with her husband. For many years, Schutz was an ardent member of the College Park Garden Club and the Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church. Schutz and her husband, Logan, were avid UMD fans and supporters. They hardly missed a home game since 1965 for football and men’s and women’s basketball, often traveling great distances to cheer for the Terps at tournaments, championships and bowl games. She enjoyed collecting Maryland Terrapin mementos and unique jewelry. Schutz was predeceased by her husband, Col. J. Logan Schutz ’38, M.S. ’40, and her son, Frederick. She is survived by her sister, Marjorie Hayes; her daughter, Marian Elsasser; son, Logan Schutz; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Manuel Antonakas ’63 died in Towson, Md., on Jan. 19, 2024, at the age of 84. Was born on Jan. 2, 1940, in Baltimore. He graduated from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and earned a mechanical engineering degree from UMD and a law degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. He worked for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for more than 40 years, starting as a patent examiner and eventually becoming director of the Office of Petitions. Following his retirement, he continued to provide mentorship to the office as a contractor, sharing his valuable knowledge and leadership. He was also called as an expert witness in several intellectual property cases. Antonakas is survived by his wife of 58 years, Maria; his sons, Anthony and Jason; his daughter, Joy Becker; and four grandchildren.
Mary Jane Clancy Frowert M.L.S. ’92 of Fredericksburg, Va., died on May 2, 2024 at age 80. She earned her undergraduate degree in history from Marquette University, then moved to Annandale, Va,, where she continued her career as a public school teacher, married and resided in Fairfax, Va., as a homemaker and mother to her four children. She later earned her Master of Library Science degree from UMD and began a second career as an elementary school librarian for Prince William County Schools and worked part-time at Fairfax County and Prince William County public libraries. After her retirement, she moved to Fredericksburg, where she enjoyed quilting, gardening and caring for her pets. Her dogs Bill, Tommy and Adele brought her fulfillment and happiness in her retirement, as did showering her children and grandchildren with handmade quilts and books. Survivors include her children: George, Matthew, Nancy and John; five grandchildren; sister Patricia; a niece and nephews.
Paul Mider ’72 died in Austin, Texas, on Feb. 20, 2024, after a long bout with Lewy body dementia. He was 77. Mider was born in Cincinnati and attended Muskingum College for one year on a football scholarship before enlisting with the U.S. Air Force, where he served as an aeromedical specialist. Upon discharge, he was a psychiatric technician in Washington, D.C., then completed his undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of Maryland. He earned a Ph.D. from New York University and a postgraduate certificate in neuropsychology from the Fielding Graduate University. He held various roles with the Veterans Administration and was one of the early practitioners who researched PTSD. He was integral in setting up the counseling unit of the Fire Department of New York, which serves thousands of employees, and volunteered to counsel firefighters for years after 9/11. Mider taught at several New York-area universities and held a private practice since 1983, taking on many cases pro bono, particularly for immigrants. He loved to fish, golf and travel. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Kolsun; sons, Michael and Nicholas; grandchildren; and siblings.
Rand Wood Tuttle ’59 of Warrenton, Va., died on April 13, 2024, at the age of 87. He attended Bladensburg High School, then served at UMD as senior class president, president of the SAE chapter and of the Interfraternity Council, and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa. He graduated from Harvard Business School, and began a career that included becoming president of CSSL in Johannesburg, South Africa. After returning to California for a time, he, wife Judy and their children settled back on the East Coast, where he led Capitol City Marketing, a government contracting service, until his retirement at the age of 60. He moved to St. Simons Island, Ga., where he immersed himself in golf, volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and authored three books. Tuttle cherished his summers at Bear Creek Lake, Pa. A decade in Florida followed before returning to Virginia to be closer to his family. Tuttle is survived by his three daughters, Sally Rayn, Karen Anderson and Susan Tuttle; sons-in-law, John and Tony; and four grandchildren.
Richard “Richie” Reiter ’70 died on Jan. 22, 2024, in Newark, N.J., at age 76. Reiter was raised in Silver Spring, Md., and earned psychology degrees from UMD and the Catholic University of America. During this time he met his wife, Susan. A saxophonist, Reiter recorded five albums and appeared on numerous other recordings. He appeared live in concert for many other artists, including Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. In 1979, he received an Emmy for his music in the documentary "Generation on the Wind." He taught music to hundreds of students and held drum circles at community events later in life. Reiter is survived by his wife and his children, Michael Reiter and Martha Shapiro.
Thomas Grafton Lee ’76, of Poolesville, Md., died on April 15, 2024, at age 71. He graduated from UMD with an accounting degree and spent his career as a CPA. He enjoyed traveling with his wife, spending time with his children and grandchildren, working on his home and in the yard, reading, watching old movies, visiting the beach and walking his community. Lee appreciated the simple pleasures of drinking a cold beer on a warm day, sitting by his pool, playing euchre and having dinner with friends. Most recently he enjoyed serving on the board of the Monocacy Lions Club. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Gail Lindsay Lee; children Lindsay, Thomas II and Lauren; three grandchildren; siblings John, Jim, Mary Ann, Teresa, Dan and Greg; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by siblings Ken and Sue.
Thomas Scarbath ’78 of Williamsburg, Va., died on May 7, 2024, at the age of 70. He attended John Carroll High School in Bel Air, Md., where he was a three-sport star and was named all-state quarterback and state champion in the 4 x 100 relay. Scarbath earned a football scholarship to UMD, where he threw four touchdown passes against the Naval Academy, contributing to a significant victory. He went on to play semi-professional football for the Baltimore Bears. Scarbath was a general manager at Merchant Tire Co. in Manassas, Va., until he joined the Army in 1984 and was stationed in Germany. He was honorably discharged a decade later as a staff sergeant and served the army as a civilian until his retirement. He and his wife raised their children in Germany until 2004 when they relocated to Williamsburg, where Scarbath was the range support manager for TRADOC at Fort Eustis until his retirement in 2020. Scarbath was a devoted father who attended every soccer game and was always willing to help with homework or lend an ear. He loved the beach, traveling through Europe, and in his last years, TV crime dramas. He is survived by his wife, Petra; his children, Sara Lane and Derek Scarbath; his brother, Blair Scarbath; six grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two grandchildren, Bodhi and Dean Scarbath.