Class Notes

Mackenzie Karnes Duncan (Col ’17 CM) and her husband, William Earnhardt Duncan, welcomed their first baby, William “Hales” Duncan on March 9, 2025, weighing 8 lbs. 3 oz. and stretching 20.5 inches long. Mackenzie sings the “Good Old Song” to Baby Hales as his evening lullaby.

Joelle Jefcoat (Arch ’01) has been named chief legal officer of Perkins&Will, a global architecture and design firm. Jefcoat has spent over two decades with the company, first as an architect and then as a member of the legal team. Perkins&Will is recognized for its innovative and sustainable architecture practices.

Jason Sisney (Col ’95 CM) published his article, “California’s Olympic Financial Failure: The 1960 Winter Games,” in the Journal of Olympic History in May. Seven years of research went into his analysis. Sisney is a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians and is a senior staffer for the California State Assembly. He advises elected assemblymembers on the state budget and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Michael Huffstetler (Arch ’87) was sworn in as the 106th national president of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME). He will lead the National Leadership Team and the SAME Board of Direction in overseeing the governance and strategic efforts of the society, its 25,000 members and 1,500 member companies, and over 100 posts and field chapters around the world. The Society of American Military Engineers is dedicated to patriotism and national security, and seeks to connect engineering professionals from public and private sectors.

Cathy Delligatti (Nurs ’75) is partially retired and working remotely. She spent her career as a chief nursing officer and an interim consultant in nursing and quality. She is using her retirement to quilt, garden, cook and visit her seven grandchildren. This year, she and her husband will celebrate 49 years of marriage.

William Brockschmidt (Arch ’86 CM) is proud to announce that his design firm, Brockschmidt & Coleman, LLC was awarded the 2025 Arthur Ross Award for Interior Design given by the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA). The Arthur Ross Awards were established in 1982 to recognize and celebrate excellence in the classical tradition of art and architecture. The awards ceremony was held on May 12, 2025 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Brockschmidt & Coleman was established in 2001 and has offices in New York City and New Orleans.

Bruce Woodruff (Col ’64) played with professional tennis players Kim Clijsters, Leylah Fernandez, Jack Sock and Sam Querrey in the Bea for Kids Champions Challenge in Orlando. The charity tennis tournament raises funds for children with complex medical issues.

Kara O’Brien Cox (Col ’89 CM) published her debut novel, Another Summer, under her pen name Kara Kentley. A second chance contemporary romance, Another Summer follows Avery, who returns to the Maine lakeside resort where she worked in college and comes face to face with her first love, Miles, who ghosted her after breaking her heart a decade ago. As they work together to help a friend, Avery begins to question everything she thought she knew about Miles, their past, her future and herself.

Kara and her husband, James P. Cox III (Law ’83) reside in Charlottesville.

Clare Short (Educ ’12) released her debut children’s book, Bo the Boat, this spring. A pediatric speech-language pathologist and mother of three young children, Short wrote this lift-the-flap board book to support early speech and language skills for young children. Readers will join Bo and his trusty companion, Captain Mo, as they cruise through the sparkling waves, embarking on a bustling workday full of surprises and friendly faces. With charming illustrations by Paula Rodriguez and engaging rhymes, Bo the Boat is the perfect voyage for curious minds ages 0-3. Short lives with her husband, Chris Short (Engr ’08, ’12), in Atlanta, where they cheer on the Wahoos with their children.

Thomas Fraser Pettigrew (Col ’52) published his 11th book, Anti-Black Racism in America: Is it Declining? with Oxford University Press. The book examines the ways systemic racism is perpetuated in America, with a particular focus on housing segregation.

Pettigrew’s career in academia began under the mentorship of the late Professor Frank Finger of UVA. Pettigrew went on to attain his doctorate in social psychology at Harvard University. He later taught and researched at the University of California at Santa Cruz, with stints in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and South Africa.

Joel G. Weinberg (Col ’01) is pleased to announce the opening of Precision Counsel, APC, which focuses on real estate litigation and business litigation. With over 15 years of hands-on litigation experience, he has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in both jury and bench trials and has litigated a variety of claims including related to real property, business disputes, personal injury, and consumer law. Weinberg is admitted to practice law in the California state courts as well as the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.

Ashley Cinalli-Mathews (Col ’05) and Erin Campbell (Col ’05) are co-directors of Central Virginia Community Justice (CVCJ), a nonprofit in Charlottesville that offers restorative services to the community. The program started in 2022 as a pilot program, initiated by Shannon Pollock (Law ’14), in partnership with the County of Albemarle and City of Charlottesville. CVCJ is now a freestanding organization with a demonstrated history of success in promoting justice, healing, and safety. CVCJ diverts criminal cases in which the harmed person (victim) and responsible person (defendant) voluntarily choose restorative justice (RJ) over typical prosecution. CVCJ additionally provides restorative justice facilitation for non-criminal harms or harms that those involved prefer not to report to the police. CVCJ has recently expanded to offer restorative services in Charlottesville City Schools, which has been a fruitful and fulfilling partnership. Ashley, Erin, and their staff provide presentations and trainings about restorative practices to organizations.

Caroline Massie-DeJarnette (Col ’13 CM) and Richard DeJarnette (Com ’13 CM) welcomed their second child, Leon Henry DeJarnette, on March 1, 2025. Leon joins big brother Hugh, and is the grandson of William Elliott DeJarnette (Col ’73 CM) and Barbara Jeanne DeJarnette (Educ ’78, ’82 CM). The family lives in Richmond.

Scott Gleason (Col ’72 CM) was recently named to the Board of Directors of the Free Yezidi Foundation USA, a D.C.-based NGO promoting the human rights and well-being of Yezidis in Iraq and their diaspora in the aftermath of the 2014 genocide perpetuated by ISIS. Scott recently retired after 27 years with Goldman Sachs & Co.

William Mell Griffin III (Col ’79 CM) has been named the 2025 Outstanding Lawyer of the Year by the Arkansas Bar Foundation and the Arkansas Bar Association. He is a partner at Friday, Eldredge & Clark, LLP, where he serves as vice chair of the firm’s management committee and leads the litigation practice group.

Lisa Filemyr (Engr ’02 CM) was honored as a Luminary award recipient by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. The award recognizes senior-level women who serve as a role model in their company, actively mentor and sponsor others, help advance other women’s careers and exhibit dedication to the healthcare industry. Filemyr is the executive director of engineering at epocrates, a company under the athenahealth umbrella, that develops software to aid medical professionals. At athenahealth, she champions diversity, supports employee resource groups and advocates for women in STEM.