Class Notes

John Peebles (Col ’82 CM) has started an organization, food4nj.org, to provide groceries and grocery store gift cards to families visiting their loved ones detained at the Delaney Hall ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey. The organization welcomes donations as well as volunteers to help at Delaney Hall during weekends and Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Mike McGrew (Col ’75) published his second picture book, The Boy Who Would Be Santa, with Kharis Publishing. The book tells the story of Saint Nicholas, including his struggle after the death of his parents, his teenage journey of discovery, his kindness and charity, the miracles he performed and his evolution into Santa Claus. The book serves as a resource on the historical origins of Santa and as a model of kindness for children.

Cristina Liebolt Foran (Col ’10 CM) and Lincoln Foran (Col ’10 CM) made it to their 15-year Reunions with 2-year-old Susanna Walton Foran and 9-week old Eugenia Lee Foran, who was born March 29. Susanna loved being back on the lawn and introducing baby Eugenia to the grounds. The girls’ matching outfits were given to them by friends Michelle Wagner (Col ’10) and Freyan Soonawalla (Col ’10, Darden ’19). The Forans look forward to continuing to take the girls down to Charlottesville as they grow up!

Charles Napier (Col ’81 CM) came out of semi-retirement last year to serve as director for the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority. His team was honored to receive the 2024 Governor’s Award for Excellence in recognition of outstanding public service to Pennsylvania.

Lea Jih-Vieira (Engr ’24) joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a data science fellow in the Information Technology and Systems Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Jih-Vieira earned her bachelor’s degree in information science from Cornell University in 2023 and her master’s degree in systems engineering from UVA in 2024.

Tuan “Megan” Doan (Col ’24) joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as a research associate in the Cost Analysis and Research Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center in Alexandria, Virginia. IDA is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers that seeks to answer the most challenging U.S. security and science policy questions. At UVA, Doan studied applied statistics.

Tina Schust Robinson (Col ’94) will publish her first book, Developing Your Business Leaders: A Guide to Investing at All Levels in March 2026 with ATD Press. In the book, Robinson discusses the leadership qualities and outlines the reasons and methods for investing intentionally in leaders. As a seasoned public speaker, workplace consultant and executive coach, she’s grateful every day for her Virginia education, particularly the UVA English department.

Gabrielle Rhodes Crawford (Col ’00 CM) was named Advanced Practice Provider of the Year for the Centra Medical Group Sept. 25. This recognition honors one advanced practice provider who truly exemplifies excellence in patient care, leadership and teamwork. Crawford has worked in the general surgery and trauma department at Centra Health in Lynchburg since 2015 and currently serves as the lead advanced practice provider. After graduating from UVA, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Lynchburg College, now University of Lynchburg, and an Master of Science in Nursing from James Madison University. She and her husband, Kenneth Crawford (Col ’01 CM) are the proud parents of two sons, Kenneth II and Kingston, and a daughter, Austin. Kenneth II is a senior at Appalachian State University.

Amy Rector (Col ’00 CM) and her colleagues from the Ledi-Geraru Research Project in northeastern Ethiopia have discovered what could be a new species of Australopithecus, an early hominin species that lived alongside the early human ancestors of the Homo genus two to three million years ago. Rector, a paleontologist at Virginia Commonwealth University, and the other team members discovered and studied a large number of ancient fossilized teeth at the Ledi-Geraru research area, with their findings supporting a view of human evolution as a “tangled-up bush,” rather than a linear timeline. The Ledi-Geraru Research Project and their findings were featured in an article in the Washington Post.

Kieran Carter (Col ’06 CM) launched her own firm, Oakgrove Legal Strategies, which focuses on tax law, high-stakes litigation and legacy planning. The new practice helps clients design sophisticated wealth management strategies that prepare families, founders and fiduciaries for generational transitions. Kieran draws on her 15 years of government experience, including serving as a senior trial attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division, where she litigated complex tax cases across the country. She also served in DOJ leadership, advising the deputy Assistant attorney general on tax policy and sensitive tax matters involving the IRS, Congress and the White House.

Charles Snyder (Grad ’73, ’79) published Murder at Knebworth, a cozy historical murder mystery novel which follows an American couple navigating English high society in the post-American Civil War period.

Carlton Higby (Engr ’19 CM) and Wendy Wright (Col ’19, Educ ’19 CM) were married in Arlington, Virginia, in September. The couple met in the Baker Street tube station in London on a UVA study abroad program the summer after their second year.

Laura DeLuca (Col ’85 CM) was named the director of the University of Colorado, Boulder’s study abroad program, Global Seminar: Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship in Bali, Indonesia, for 2025 and 2026. Students in the program will learn about Bali’s native plants and their uses in traditional medicine and food; visit Tirta Empul, a Hindu temple; tour Mai Organic Farm, a community-led movement to preserve traditional agricultural village life; hear a presentation on coral reef growth from the Biorock Indonesia coral restoration project; and visit with social entrepreneurs at the Makadaya Social Impact Centre, a group that develops sustainable solutions to social and environmental challenges in Indonesia.

Scott Gakenheimer (Engr ’86, Darden ’90 CM) has published his first book, A To-Do List (And Some Don’t-Do’s) For Building Wealth. Gakenheimer shares the lessons and learnings from his own personal finance journey that allowed him to reach financial independence at a young age and retire at 54 years old. Though the book is aimed at recent college graduates, it provides financial advice for people of all ages. In retirement, Gakenheimer splits his time between Charlotte, North Carolina, and Honolulu, Hawaii.

Myron Santos (Col ’01 CM) has been accepted as a member of American Cinema Editors, an honorary society that celebrates excellence within the art of motion picture editing, promotes mutual respect among peers and supports diversity and inclusion within the profession. Myron, his wife and their 10-year-old daughter live in Los Angeles. He is also a member of the Motion Picture Editors Guild and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and is on the board of the UVA Entertainment Club of Los Angeles.

Kathryn Wymer Clarke (Col ’14) and Philipp Clarke (Col ’15 CM) welcomed their son, Benedict Philip Maria Clarke, in October 2024. Benedict is also the grandson of John Wymer (Law ’74 CM) and the nephew of Mason Wymer (College ’01 CM) and Sarah Wymer Raj (Educ ’17, 21).