Class Notes

1948

Bettie Geis Batt, d’48, will celebrate her 96th birthday Oct. 5. She is a retired teacher and lives in Marion. An avid college sports fan, Bettie enjoyed watching the men’s basketball teams from both of her alma maters, KU and Baylor, win the national championship the past two years. Bettie has a daughter, Shelley Batt Wiest, g’83, PhD’84, two grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

1952

William Turner, b’52, l’60, wrote the children’s novel A Goat of a Different Color and the novel The Italian Awakening. A retired attorney, William lives in Los Angeles and in 2021 received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.

1959

Lynn Miller, c’59, g’62, co-authored the book Salut! France Meets Philadelphia, which won the 2020 Art & Architecture Literary Award from the Athenaeum of Philadelphia. He is professor emeritus of political science at Temple University.

1960

Tom Herlocker, c’60, l’63, is a retired attorney and municipal court judge. He and his wife, Judy Gildehaus Herlocker, d’61, live in Winfield, where Tom practiced law his entire career and served as deacon at Grace Episcopal Church.

1963

Marie Thompson Alkire, g’63, in February was inducted into the U.S. Biathlon Association Hall of Fame. She was the first woman to coach an Olympic biathlon team, serving as shooting coach for the 1984 U.S. team.

1964

Richard Scharine, g’64, PhD’73, professor emeritus of theatre at the University of Utah, wrote The Past We Step Into, a collection of short stories. He lives in Salt Lake City.

1966

Jerry Brizendine, p’66, retired as a pharmacist at Walgreens. He lives in Lawrence with his wife, Jeanine, c’85, p’85, PharmD’08.

1968

Robert Vancrum, c’68, retired as an attorney. He and his wife, Joyce Lynch Vancrum, d’68, live in Overland Park.

1969

Russell Berlin Jr., g’69, retired as music director and conductor of the Lee’s Summit Symphony Orchestra in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. He co-founded the orchestra in 2003 and was a music instructor in the Lee’s Summit School District from 1969 
to 1999.

William Coates Jr., c’69, l’72, has practiced law for 50 years and is an adjunct faculty member in the School of Law, where he has taught trial advocacy for 20 years. Bill and his wife, Kathryn Hillyard Coates, d’72, live in Prairie Village and enjoy spending time with their grandchildren.

Richard Peppler, PhD’69, retired as vice dean and associate dean for faculty and academic affairs at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine.

Irma Stephens Russell, c’69, g’72, d’74, l’80, received the School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Award. She is the Edward A. Smith/Missouri Chair in Law, the Constitution, and Society at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Irma returned to KU this spring as Distinguished Visiting Professor in the law school.

1970

Kent Cox, PhD’70, m’75, retired as an otolaryngologist. He and his wife, Adrienne, live in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Kenneth Johnson, g’70, owns Johnson Insurance Consulting in Des Moines, Iowa, where he has been principal consultant for over 30 years. He has written several books, including Kansas University Basketball Legends and More University of Kansas Basketball Legends. Kenn has two daughters, Heidi Johnson Puckett, d’89, and Cassity Johnson Gross, f’91; a son, Eric; and eight grandchildren.

Jim Ryun, j’70, in June was inducted into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s Collegiate Athlete Hall of Fame. 
The three-time Olympian, 
five-time NCAA champion and former member of 
Congress was among 30 
inductees in the inaugural class.

C. Ashby Shoop, e’70, is chief systems engineer at Boeing. He lives in St. Louis.

1971

John Schwaller, g’71, wrote the book The Stations of the Cross in Colonial Mexico. He is a research associate in Latin American studies and history at KU.

Steven Wilhelm, d’71, l’74, an attorney in San Diego, in May received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association of Top Professionals.

1972

Edward O’Brien, c’72, is professor emeritus at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He retired in July after teaching in the psychology and counseling department for 41 years. In May he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Labette Community College in Parsons.

James “Lyn” Reavis Jr., e’72, g’74, is vice president of environmental and infrastructure at Clean Hydrogen Works in Grand Prairie, Texas.

1974

Judith Sabbert, c’74, g’76, wrote Daring to Dance Again: Pearls of Wisdom for a Soul-Filled Life, a compilation of personal stories. She lives in Overland Park.

1975

Daniel Logan, c’75, concluded 15 years on the faculty of the University of Florida College of Medicine, where he was a professor in the addiction medicine division. He continues a part-time telemedicine practice, and he and his wife, Gladys Cofrin, split their time between Florida and Maine.

Tom Wiggans, p’75, in April received the School of Pharmacy’s Distinguished Service Award. A veteran biopharmaceutical executive, he is chair and CEO of Pardes Biosciences in Carlsbad, 
California.

1976

Robert Brook, PhD’76, retired as a forensic psychologist. He lives in Santa Monica, California.

Debbie Kruenegel-Farr, c’76, g’82, wrote the book E.N.R.I.C.H. Your Relationship With Your Child. She is a parent coach and educator and teaches in the psychology department at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

David Love, e’76, is real estate right-of-way manager at Quanta Utility Engineering Services in Kansas City.

1977

Jim Barker, c’77, m’80, is director of clinical skills and simulation in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Sam Houston State University in Conroe, Texas.

Michael Buser, l’77, in 
January retired as a Kansas Court of Appeals judge. He lives in Overland Park.

Alexander Gill, e’77, is the founder and president of Ultraplastics USA in Houston.

Al Shank Jr., b’77, was named 2022 Agent of the Year by the Kansas Association of Insurance Agents. He lives in Liberal, where he is president of Al Shank Insurance.

1978

Craig Kidwell, b’78, is a property analyst at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado.

Sherry Hassler Lundry, d’78, in July retired as development director at TARC, which serves people with intellectual disabilities in Shawnee County.

Gerald Seib, j’78, retired in May after 45 years at The Wall Street Journal, where he was executive Washington editor. Jerry was part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize in 2002, and in 2005 he received the National Citation from the William Allen White Foundation at KU. Jerry and his wife, Barbara Rosewicz, j’78, this fall returned to the Hill, where he is a Dole Institute Fellow and she is a Hearst Visiting Professional in Residence at the School of Journalism. Barb is a former Wall Street Journal reporter and was most recently project director for The Pew Charitable Trusts. She also chairs the William Allen White Foundation.

1979

Angela Price Chammas, e’79, was honored with the Distinguished Engineering Service Award from the School of Engineering. Now retired, she worked at Sprint for over 20 years in network engineering management roles and as a vice president. Angela and her husband, George, e’81, live in Chicago and have two sons, Nadim and Jamil.

William Lewis, p’79, has been a pharmacist at Dillons in Liberal for 31 years. In June he completed Biking Across Kansas with his son, Steve, c’08, a fellow cyclist, and his daughter, Kara, c’13, support and gear driver.

1980

John Anderson, b’80, g’82, retired as chief information officer at Shook, Hardy & Bacon. He worked at the law firm for 20 years. John and his wife, Michelle, live in Overland Park and have three daughters, Katie, Megan—who both attend KU—and Grace.

Mark Meyer, c’80, m’84, retired in March as chief of neurological surgery at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he practiced for over 30 years. He remains active on the board of directors of the Michigan State Medical Society and its legislative policy committees.

Donna Price O’Keefe, d’80, g’85, is patient safety manager at Mercy Hospital Joplin in Joplin, Missouri.

1981

Gregory Gilbert, f’81, was elected to the 
College Art Association board of directors. He is a professor and director of the art history program at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.

John Heim, d’81, is executive director and CEO of the National School Boards Association. In May he was honored by the School of Education & Human Sciences with its Distinguished Alumni Award.

1982

Danny Anderson, g’82, PhD’85, in May retired as president of Trinity University in San Antonio. He was previously dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and a professor of Spanish at KU.

Ray Evans, b’82, g’84, senior partner at Pegasus Capital Management in Overland Park, was named to Forbes’ list of Best-in-State Wealth Advisors for 2022.

1983

Linda Bryant Angotti, PhD’83, retired after 28 years on the music education faculty at Kent State University, where she founded and directed the Kent State University Gospel Choir and is professor emerita. Linda and her husband live in Oxford, Mississippi.

Stephanie Stewart 
Bjornstad, n’83, in June became CEO of Rooks County Health Center in
Plainville. She has worked at the hospital for 18 years.

Jeff Gentry, b’83, in April was recognized with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Business. He is chair and CEO of the Wichita-based materials firm Invista.

Stu Shea, g’83, is president, chair and CEO of Peraton, a national security technology company headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. He is the founder of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation and in 2016 received the Intelligence Community Seal Medallion.

1984

Karen Kelly, m’84, was appointed CEO of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

Pamela White, g’84, g’86, PhD’92, in May retired from Western Illinois University, where she directed the museum studies program.

1985

James May, e’85, l’89, an environmental and human rights lawyer, received the School of Law’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He is a professor at Widener University Delaware Law School in Wilmington, Delaware, and serves on the American Bar Association’s Environmental Justice Task Force.

Eboh “Duke” Okorie, c’85, g’87, in March was appointed to the board of directors of Sterling Bank & Trust. He is president and CEO of Windy Hill Capital, a financial consulting firm.

Pete Wicklund, j’85, retired in March as managing editor of the Kenosha News in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He worked in the newspaper industry for 37 years.

1986

Greg Beilman, m’86, is a surgeon at M Health Fairview in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and a professor in the department of surgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Robb Bertels, j’86, is vice president of sales and marketing at Gold Coast Packing, a produce supplier based in Santa Maria, California.

F. Richard “Ric” Ferraro, g’86, PhD’89, received the 2022 Lydia and Arthur Saiki Faculty Award for Individual Excellence in Teaching from the University of North 
Dakota, where he has worked since 1992. He is a professor of psychology and editor-in- chief of the journal Current Psychology.

Kathy Hunt Woodward, c’86, in June served as chair of the 2022 Jewel Ball at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City. She was a Jewel Ball debutante in 1982.

1987

Darcy Gregor Benway, b’87, is superintendent at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Illinois.

Laura Roeser Cotton, n’87, manages human resources 
at the law firm of Cotton, Castano & Richardson in Austin, Texas.

Jack Jacobsen, l’87, is a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP in Dallas.

Stephen Johnson, f’87, an artist, had two works installed recently: a glass mosaic mural in the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center at Texas Tech University and an outdoor sculpture at the Marshalltown, Iowa, Performing Arts Center. Stephen teaches illustration in the KU School of Architecture & Design.

Kimberly Wolfe Nolte, p’87, is a part-time pharmacist at Sabetha Health Mart in Sabetha.

1988

Jim Davis, e’88, retired as chief operating officer at the California Department of Transportation.

Dana DeMasters, g’88, is a privacy/information security officer at Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Missouri.

David Maahs, c’88, g’90, is professor of pediatrics and chief of pediatric endocrinology at Stanford University. He practices at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, California.

Lisa Rost Roatch, c’88, l’92, is an attorney at 27Global, a Leawood-based software development company she owns with her husband, Steve.

Steve Swaffar, c’88, g’96, is an agriculture consultant at the Noble Research Institute in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He works with farmers and ranchers to improve their soils and grazing operations.

1989

Michelle Roberts Canter, d’89, is general counsel and chief legal officer at Supreme Lending.

Michael Lazer, c’89, is a services consultant for strategic resourcing at World Wide Technology. He lives in Seattle.

Lisa Karr Nickel, c’89, founded Lisa Nickel Coaching, through which she offers life coaching services. She and her husband, Mike, b’89, live in Kansas City.

David Woody, f’89, is vice president and chief creative officer at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

1990

Tom Bechard, b’90, is vice president of personal health care sales at Procter & Gamble.

Carlos Cahiz, b’90, f’90, is president of OFE Orchid Supplies in Homestead, Florida. He lives in Miami with his wife, Amanda, and is a past president of the South Florida Orchid Society.

Lisa Hawk, c’90, l’93, is a police legal adviser at the Gwinnett County Police Department in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Michael Kleber-Diggs, ’90, a poet, essayist and literary critic, won the 2022 Hefner Heitz Kansas Book Award in Poetry for his book Worldly Things. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and teaches poetry and creative nonfiction through the Minnesota Prison Writers Workshop.

Lori Wilson Richardson, b’90, is a client relationship manager at Mutual of America Financial Group in Overland Park.

Lori Nobert Wittman, b’90, in March became president of retail solutions at Cox Automotive.

1991

Jonathan Mize, ’91, is president and CEO of Blish-Mize Co., a wholesale hardware distributor in Atchison. He is the fifth generation of his 
family to lead the company.

Abe Oommen, PhD’91, was elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He is the founder and president of the Lincoln, Nebraska-based company MatMaCorp, which develops molecular diagnostic tests and kits. Abe holds nine U.S. and six foreign patents.

Dave Price, j’91, is vice president of engagement and entrepreneurship at Oregon Coast Community College in Newport, Oregon.

1992

Rod Eisenhauer, e’92, l’96, is senior vice president and general counsel at Performance Contracting Group Inc. in Lenexa.

Jim Peters, b’92, is executive vice president and chief financial officer at Whirlpool Corp.

Jason Petty, b’92, owns Omaha Gutter & Siding in Omaha, Nebraska.

Glenna Phillips, c’92, g’16, was promoted to executive director of the Central Kansas Mental Health Center in Salina.

1993

Chris Berg, c’93, and Hilary Evans Berg, j’01, own Roots Wine Co. in Yamhill, Oregon, where they’ve been making wine since 2002.

Lyle Niedens, j’93, g’06, owns Insight Financial Communications and Consulting.

Brett Riggs, j’93, is communications director at the Sunflower Foundation in Topeka.

1994

Randy Phillips, b’94, in March became Topeka fire chief. He has worked as a firefighter and in other roles at the city’s fire department since 1995.

Kristen Getz Whitford, c’94, owns Luxury Airport Transportation. She lives in Overland Park.

Tanya Barnes Woolley, b’94, e’94, is engineering manager at Textron Aviation in Wichita. She and her husband, Bill, have two children, Isabel and Benjamin.

1995

Neeli Bendapudi, PhD’95, in May began her tenure as president of Penn State University. She is a former provost and executive vice chancellor at KU and was the first woman to serve as dean of KU’s School of Business.

Paul Neidlein, e’95, president of JE Dunn Construction’s Midwest region, was honored with the School of Engineering’s Distinguished Engineering Service Award. 
He and Tina Fowler 
Neidlein, c’96, j’96, live in Prairie Village.

Scott Roberts, d’95, g’00, in April became executive director of school administration for the Blue Valley School District in Johnson County. He has been a teacher and principal in the district for 
over 25 years.

Sara Bennett Wealer, j’95, wrote the young adult novel Grave Things Like Love, her fourth book, which will be published Oct. 11. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, Adam, and two daughters.

1996

Janaka Abeysinghe, g’96, in February became CEO of Sri Lanka Telecom, where he has worked for over 20 years.

Tracy Alderson, c’96, m’01, is a pediatric cardiologist at Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Virginia.

Dan Callahan, l’96, is director of communications at Brooks School in North Andover, Massachusetts.

David Cook, g’96, PhD’99, in May became president of North Dakota State University. He was previously vice chancellor for public affairs and economic development at KU.

Michael Hoesch, ’96, is managing partner at Lewis Chevrolet Buick in Atchison.

Eric Moore, s’96, is a technical assistance coach at Cicatelli Associates. He lives in Phoenix.

Kurt Schmidt, c’96, owns Picasso’s Pizzeria in Wichita. He founded the restaurant in 2012.

1997

Cullen Dalton, f’97, is the owner and president of Reflections in Wood, which builds custom homes in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

Sam Gazdziak, j’97, is 
communications manager 
for the American Association of Meat Processors. He also writes the blog RIP Baseball, which tells the stories of 
well- and lesser-known professional baseball players throughout history.

Mike Kimbrel, d’97, g’02, in July became superintendent of the Park Hill School District in Kansas City.

Aaron Kirby, b’97, g’10, is a commercial banker with JPMorgan Chase Middle Market in Kansas City.

Shanna Sims-Bradish, g’97, is assistant city manager of University Park, Texas.

1998

Umut Bayramoglu, j’98, manages Common Ground, Lawrence’s community gardening and urban agriculture program.

Amy Leigh Beecher, c’98, is director of education and training for the American Society of Baking.

Erik Crane, c’98, is a 
project management manager at T-Mobile.

Ryan Cunningham, b’98, is a regional sales director at WorkBoard.

Sandra Deitering, l’98, g’17, g’17, is senior counsel at Husch Blackwell law firm.

1999

Paula Lancaster, PhD’99, is dean of the College of Education and Human Services at Central Michigan University.

Amie Kruse Long, c’99, is part-time counsel at Hilgers Graben law firm in Dallas. She and her husband, Brian, have three children, Carter, Avery and Brooke.

2000

Mike Krieg, g’00, is executive vice president and chief information officer at The Bank of Tampa in Tampa, Florida.

Dustin Smoot, c’00, m’04, is a critical care surgeon at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Joseph Yockey, c’00, is the David H. Vernon Professor of Law at the University of Iowa College of Law.

2001

Seungyeon Lee, c’01, PhD’15, was elected president of the Southwestern Psychological Association. She is associate professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

Sam Mellinger, j’01, in December became vice 
president of communications for the Kansas City Royals. He covered the Royals for over a decade as a columnist for The Kansas City Star.

Steven Sodergren, g’01, PhD’06, a Civil War scholar, is a professor and chair of the department of history and political science at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.

Khem Suthiwan, c’01, is a regulatory manager at Enduring Resources LLC, an oil and gas company based in Denver.

2002

Brian Carpenter, c’02, is national sales manager at ClickSafety. A former Big Jay from 1997 to 2000, he is now head coach of KU’s mascot team. Brian and his wife, Sally, live in Overland Park.

Ted Downum, c’02, is a grant writer and researcher at the American Indian College Fund in Denver.

Julie Williams Hurley, g’02, is director of planning and community development for the city of Leavenworth.

Lindsey Lowe Kaminski, b’02, in June was appointed chief financial officer at Belton Regional Medical Center in Belton, Missouri.

Sarah Miley, c’02, is a business analyst at Navy Federal Credit Union.

Yigit Tanol, e’02, is a vice president at Goldman Sachs in New York City.

Jeffrey Wacker, g’02, is vice president and trust officer at Advantage Trust Co. in Salina.

2003

Brian North, c’03, j’03, was promoted to general sales manager at KRON4 in San Francisco.

Lorie Ritschel, g’03, PhD’07, a clinical psychologist, co-founded the Triangle Area Psychology Clinic in Durham, North Carolina, and is an associate professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

Born to:
Sennett, c’03, j’03, and Akiko Imakawa Rockers, f’03, g’06, son, Conrad, May 26. They live in Baltimore.

2004

Clay Britton, c’04, l’09, in December became vice president of legal and compliance services and general counsel at Blue Cross and 
Blue Shield of Kansas. He was previously chief counsel to Gov. Laura Kelly.

Stephanie Wilkinson Hargett, c’04, is a subrogation specialist at The Hartford Financial Services Group. She and her husband, Jason, c’05, live in Shawnee.

Ben Huebsch, d’04, g’09, in July became principal of Parkview Middle School in Ankeny, Iowa.

Matt Laubhan, c’04, is chief meteorologist at WTVA in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Eric Vidoni, g’04, PhD’08, was recognized by the School of Health Professions as its 2022 Early Career Achievement in Health Professions Alumnus. He is a research associate professor in the neurology department at the KU Medical Center and directs the outreach, recruitment and education core for the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Matt Wright, l’04, senior counsel at Koch Industries in Wichita, is a top-ranked professional pickleball player in men’s doubles and mixed doubles.

2005

Shamir Bhakta, b’05, is director of operations at Kansas Hospitality Management. He and his wife, Sonal, live in Overland Park.

Zacory Boatright, ’05, directs marketing and communications for Scottsdale Arts in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Mario Lainfiesta, c’05, is senior manager of global trade compliance at JBT Corp. He lives in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina.

Kyle Rohde, j’05, is vice president of brand leadership 
at Barkley.

Born to:
Paul Vierthaler, c’05, and Shannon Stewart, c’06, twin daughters, Alice and Ivy, Sept. 8, 2021. The family lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, where Paul is assistant professor of Chinese studies at the 
College of William & Mary, and Shannon is principal research scientist at Altana AI.

2006

David Ochoa, j’06, g’08, is the Mid-America executive director at ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He lives in Fairway with his wife, Emily, m’13, and their daughters, Ophelia and Evangeline.

Greg Sovich, g’06, is vice president of customer operations at the biopharmaceutical company AbbVie.

2007

Andrea Chavez, c’07, is executive director of grants and administration at Peaslee Tech in Lawrence.

Michael Daniels, l’07, lives in Austin, Texas, where he is vice president of PKD Inc., a government contractor that specializes in elevator design and construction.

Valerie Daniels, ’07, is a research technician at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in 
Asheville, North Carolina.

Michelle Kreutzer Harris, f’07, teaches art at Baldwin Elementary School Intermediate Center in Baldwin City.

Melissa Horen Kaplan, c’07, is a development officer at Jewish HomeLife in Atlanta.

Blake Nelson, l’07, lives in Wichita, where he is a partner at Encore Distribution, a provider of personal protective equipment and medical supplies.

Tracy Perlman, j’07, is executive producer at WCCO-TV/CBS Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Meg Robinson Piercy, j’07, co-hosts the HGTV series “Renovation Goldmine” with her husband, Joe. She is the CEO and co-founder of MegMade, a Chicago-based furniture restoration and design business.

2008

Michael Brunnquell, g’08, is an engineering project manager at Mercedes-AMG in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Jenny Calvert, l’08, joined Randstad USA as litigation and employment senior counsel. She lives in Atlanta.

Kim Wallace Carlson, j’08, was promoted to director of strategic communications at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. She and her husband, Sam, j’08, live in Kansas City.

RoxAna Covarrubias, ’08, is a work enrichment specialist at Cottonwood Inc. in Lawrence.

Meghan Monarez Doyle, j’08, is director of philanthropy at the Wichita Community Foundation. She and her husband, Tyler, j’08, have a son, James, and daughter, Charlotte.

Meg McCollister, c’08, was appointed by President Joe Biden as regional administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 7, comprising Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and nine tribal nations. She lives in Kansas City.

Lara Thomas, c’08, co-produced the true crime documentary “Fatal Distraction,” released in 2021. She is a producer, writer and actor based in Denver.

2009

Chris Dabbs, c’09, is a commercial account executive at the software development company Conga. He and his wife, Danielle, have four children, Wyatt, Ryder, Gracyn and Ayce.

Joanna Dolezal Fleming, n’09, is a family nurse practitioner at Associated Allergists and Asthma Specialists in Orland Park, Illinois.

Aftan Martin Jameson, c’09, is a health educator at KU’s Health Education Resource Office. She and her husband, Robert, are parents of a daughter, Stella.

Kursten Metelmann Minnis, c’09, is director of sales at GreatLife Kansas City, a network of golf courses and fitness centers.

Eric Nevels, c’09, g’16, is director of operational excellence at TrueAccord. He and Linaya Newstrom Nevels, ’11, have a 1-year-old daughter, Olivia.

Candice Schaefer, g’09, PhD’13, is head of employee health and performance at Spring Health. A clinical psychologist, she specializes in workplace mental health and previously led employee wellness at Twitter. She lives in Seattle.

Brian Wachter, g’09, is the hydrogeologist and project manager for Earth Data on its Sustainable Water Initiative for Tomorrow project in southeast Virginia.

2010

Anthony Ceman, c’10, is a psychiatrist with HCA Midwest Health. He and Hilary Richardson 
Ceman, c’14, live in Leawood.

Lindsey Schuler, c’10, is an attorney at Croker Huck Law Firm in Omaha, Nebraska.

Michael Younger, e’10, is a project engineer at EBH Engineering and manages the firm’s Pratt office.

2011

Sean Flynn, c’11, is a research and development brewer at Molson Coors Beverage Co. in Milwaukee.

Jessica Heinen, c’11, l’14, in February was appointed judge for Kansas’ 3rd Judicial District.

Ryan Hinderliter, c’11, l’14, is an intellectual property associate at Kutak Rock law firm in Kansas City.

Monte Jones, e’11, is an 
on-board diagnostic calibration engineer at Stellantis.

Jace Robinson, j’11, is public relations counsel 
at the marketing agency Swanson Russell in Omaha, Nebraska.

Born to:
Max Wescoe, c’11, and Kayla Dreyer, daughter, Tala, Aug. 28, 2021. They live in Arvada, Colorado.

2012

Marvia Jones, g’12, PhD’15, in February was 
appointed director of the Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department. She is the first Black woman to hold the position.

Sierra Winter Otto, c’12, owns Sierra Winter Jewelry. She sells her handcrafted pieces in her shop in Kansas City and online.

Jennifer Redel, g’12, was promoted to associate at Jensen Architects in San Francisco.

Amanda Roberts, j’12, directs marketing and communications for the Lawrence Arts Center.

Bobbi Walden, c’12, in May competed in the U.S. Powerlifting Association’s drug-tested national championships, where she won her fourth national championship and set a Kansas record in deadlift.

Joe Walden, g’12, EdD’19, associate teaching professor in the School of Business, in May won his 10th national championship at the U.S. Powerlifting Association’s drug-tested national championships. He also set world records in squat, bench press, deadlift and total weight lifted.

Born to:
Alicia Stum Pohl, c’12, and Weston Pohl, son, Brody, March 26. He joins a 2-year-old brother, Walker. The family lives in Lawrence.

2013

Amanda Salisbury Augustine, g’13, is a project architect at Hoefer Welker in Leawood. She and her husband, Nick, c’13, e’16, have a son, Bentley, 2.

Britt Frank, g’13, wrote The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward, published in March by TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Group. Britt is a therapist, teacher and speaker based in Kansas City.

2014

Chase Brentano, b’14, g’18, is a purchasing agent for Kiewit Supply Network in Denver.

Craig Jackson Jr., g’14, is associate vice president of development and principal gifts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Dylan Lysen, j’14, is a 
political reporter for the 
Kansas News Service.

Thomas Morrison, c’14, is a regular contributor to Philosophy Now magazine.

Ernesto “Ernie” Rodriguez, c’14, is a business analyst at Zytara, a financial technology company. He and Leslie Donahue Rodriguez, ’14, live in Lenexa and have two children, Reese and Ernesto Jr.

Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, m’14, was named the 2022 Early Career Achievement in Medicine Alumna by the School of Medicine. She is an assistant professor in the internal medicine department at the KU School of Medicine-Wichita and director of KU’s Wichita Center for Clinical Research.

2015

Liesel Reussner Callahan, c’15, designs stationery, greeting cards and other paper goods, which she sells through her online shop, The Singing Little Bird. She and her husband, Sean, live in Lawrence.

Trevor Otterstein, j’15, manages mobile apps and emerging tech at VMLY&R 
in Kansas City.

Kylie Quick Rhodes, m’15, is a physician at Washington Regional Fayetteville Family Clinic in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Huong Vu, c’15, is a research associate at Enable Biosciences in San Francisco.

2016

Laurel Kolacny Bannister, c’16, g’19, is an international student adviser at KU.

Anna Church, b’16, owns Verdigris Digital, which provides graphic design and website development services. A former KU volleyball player, Anna now plays professionally for USC Munster in Germany.

Heather Nelson DeJong, j’16, is an education coach at Primrose School of Lincoln in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Michael De Tello, b’16, 
is a technology consultant at Protiviti. He and his wife, Courtney, live in Orlando, Florida.

Elizabeth Gunn, b’16, is a senior project coordinator at Cerner.

Brennan Keller, d’16, is director of partnerships at Trueface. He lives in Bozeman, Montana.

Michelle Marron, c’16, g’17, is a special education social worker for Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools.

Jacob Nemeroff, c’16, l’19, is an attorney at deAndrade Mangieri LLC in Atlanta.

2017

Jessica Allison, c’17, is director of sales operations at the health insurance startup EasyHealth in Beverly Hills, California.

Morgan Cormack, j’17, is executive producer of special projects at FOX4 News in Kansas City.

Vicky Diaz-Camacho, j’17, community reporter for Kansas City PBS’s online magazine Flatland, was one of 13 journalists awarded a 2022 Higher Education Media Fellowship from the Institute for Citizens & Scholars.

Bertilde “Bee” Kamana, g’17, PhD’20, in March was promoted to director of education and clinical services at The Bay School in Santa Cruz, California, which serves students with developmental disabilities.

Greg Leimkuehler, g’17, is senior installation engineer/site lead at Alert Innovation, a robotics automation company.

Lauren Zweig McClung, c’17, is an occupational therapist at Playabilities for Sensational Kids in Leawood. She lives in Overland Park with her husband, Quentin, b’18.

2018

Eric Anderson, m’18, is a family physician with Clay County Medical Center. He practices at the center’s clinic in Glasco.

Jason Patton, g’18, a U.S. Navy commander, in December joined the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport in Newport, Rhode Island, as executive officer.

Jackson Smith, e’18, is a project engineer 2 at JE Dunn Construction in Kansas City. He and Kennedy Schnieders Smith, j’18, live in Overland Park.

Malasavanh Siriboury, ’18, is a retail sales consultant at Mobily.

2019

Darrick Baker, c’19, is a cytogenetic lab technician for The University of Kansas Health System.

Ronald Christian, PhD’19, is assistant professor of marketing at Emporia State University.

Jennifer Gartner, c’19, lives in Omaha, Nebraska, where she is the scout and Wildlife Safari Park coordinator at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.

Lara Korte, c’19, j’19, covers California politics for Politico.

Christopher Koss, g’19, g’19, is an architect with CO Architects in Los Angeles.

Kay Walden, b’19, set a world record in the squat at the U.S. Powerlifting Association’s drug-tested national championships in May. She also set Kansas records in bench press, deadlift and total weight lifted and won her weight class and age group.

Isaac Williams, g’19, g’21, is senior analyst of sales analytics at Phreesia, a health care software company.

2020

Abigail George Alexander, c’20, is an annuity operations consultant at 
Advisors Excel in Topeka.

Sierra Franklin, c’20, is box office and marketing manager at the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita.

Spencer Qualls, d’20, is an office claims representative at Farmers Insurance. He and Anna Mooradian, j’20, live in Lawrence, where she is a 
content marketer at Wildman Web Solutions.

Max Wright, c’20, is senior complex spine consultant at Stryker Corp., a medical technology company. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2021

Skye Conley, g’21, g’21, is the digital archivist/curator at the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.

Nirali Desai, j’21, is a copywriter at A Place for Mom.

Joseph Galvan, j’21, is a human resources assistant at Amazon.

Dutton Hughes, c’21, e’21, is an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He lives in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Andrew Kelly, b’21, coordinates marketing at Innovation DuPage, a business incubator and accelerator in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.

Mallory Norris, c’21, lives in Overland Park, where she is a recruiter for Yellow Corp.

Courtney Setter, n’21, is a registered nurse with The University of Kansas Health System. She lives in Lenexa.

2022

Edwina Goombi, c’22, is an accounting technician for the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma.

Sarah Woodruff, g’22, directs football operations at Texas Christian University.

Associates

G. Paul Willhite, assoc., received the Distinguished 
Engineering Service Award from the School of Engineering, where he joined the faculty in 1969. He retired in 2019 as the Ross H. Forney Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. He and his wife, Jewell, live in Lawrence.

Roy Williams, assoc., who coached Kansas men’s basketball for 15 seasons, in November will be formally inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was a member of the hall’s founding class in 2006.